Wherever You Go, There You Are
by Celeste6
Summary: Sam runs into an old friend a long way from home. Crossover with Farscape. Chapter 15/Epilogue NEW!
1. I Get Along Without You Very Well

Title Wherever You Go, There You Are  
  
Spoilers: Don't think there are any, at least not yet.  
  
Rating: Um, PG just to be safe. Minor language, a wee bit of something resembling alcohol.  
  
Disclaimer: Stargate SG1 and Farscape are owned by lovely, wonderful people. I am not among them.  
  
A/N: The story is set sometime in 2nd season Farscape (just pre Crichton discovering the chip) and 4th season Stargate (at least post Divide and Conquer). Anything I write that goes against canon after mid-2nd season Farscape can be blamed on the evil cable company that took Farscape away from me and replaced it with wrestling.  
  
IASA is indeed an international organization, but it has not replaced NASA.  
  
I've been working on this story for awhile. Chunks of the story are already written, but they're not in order so I'm not posting everything at once – mostly because I have to buy some time while I figure out where I'm going. Comments, suggestions, crazy ideas welcome.  
  
The title comes from one of my favorite sayings; the chapter titles all have something in common. Guess what it is and maybe I'll write you in a guest spot! :-)  
  
  
  
Wherever You Go, There You Are: I Get Along Without You Very Well  
  
  
  
Samantha Carter reached for the TV remote with one hand as she brushed her teeth with the other. After returning from SG1's latest grueling mission, she had stumbled home and into bed. She had no idea what had happened on Earth in the last few days or what the weather was supposed to be. For that matter, she had no idea what day it was. Flipping on CNN for the morning news, she walked back to the bathroom and rinsed her mouth out. Halfway listening to the news, she walked back into the room when the weather came on.  
  
"And here I was hoping we might actually have some decent weather." She walked back into her bedroom. "Oh, what do I care about the weather anyway? I work in a mountain. And it's not like I have a life to enjoy…"  
  
She stopped abruptly. "Oh, hell." She ran into the kitchen to check her calendar. "Oh, hell."  
  
Sam picked up the phone off the counter and dialed a number from memory. "Hi. This is Major Samantha Carter. Is he in yet?"  
  
After waiting a few seconds, "Hi. It's Sam. I hope I'm not calling too early.  
  
"I've been away for most of this week. I wanted to call yesterday, but…  
  
"Anyway, I just wanted to say hi.  
  
"I miss him. Sometimes I pick up the phone and then I realize he's gone.  
  
"Yeah, I know.  
  
"Take care of yourself. You know, if you need anything… Yeah, I will. Bye."  
  
Sam hit the off button on the phone and set it back on the counter. She ran a hand through her hair and sighed.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Carter. You're late." Jack O'Neill barked as she walked into the conference room.  
  
"Sorry, sir. I had to make a phone call before I left the house." She sat down and opened the blue folder in front of her.  
  
"Problem?"  
  
"No, just checking in on a friend. I really should've done it yesterday, but since we weren't here…"  
  
"It's alright, Major." General Hammond jumped in before O'Neill could respond with another remark. "As you can see, SG7's report on P5X-667 indicates that there is an advanced settlement on the planet's surface."  
  
"Are we talking Asgard advanced or Tollan advanced here, General?" Jack asked.  
  
"Neither, Colonel. SG7 reports that the city they visited exhibited technology similar to our own."  
  
"Then they're not really that advanced now, are they?"  
  
Hammond managed to contain his eye-rolling impulse and continued. "The planet is located in a region of space known as the Uncharted Territories. There are several million inhabitants. The Stargate is located near the capital city of one of the nation-states. Apparently it hasn't been used in several centuries, although there are references to an alien race that visited."  
  
"The Goa'uld?" SG1's resident archeologist, Dr. Daniel Jackson, asked.  
  
"Possibly. If so, they didn't stay on the planet very long. There are ruins located near the city. I want SG1 to explore the ruins and determine if it was the Goa'uld. If so, what happened to them?"  
  
"Oh, goody. Ruins. Can we bring back more rocks, too?"  
  
"Artifacts." Daniel absently corrected Jack, which earned him a glare.  
  
Still glaring, Jack asked, "When do we leave?"  
  
"In one hour," Hammond replied. "Dismissed."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Walking across the crowded street, John Crichton reflected that one of his favorite things in the world, or this world anyway, was arguing with Aeryn Sun. She pretended like she didn't care, like she didn't want to win an argument, but he knew better. He'd actually forgotten what they were arguing about at the moment. He was caught up in the way her eyes flashed at him. And the ways her hands moved to punctuate her points, just like she was doing…  
  
"Ow! What'd you do THAT for?" John rubbed the spot on his arm where she hit him.  
  
"To get your attention. Your mind was wandering. Again."  
  
"Well, it wasn't wandering too far."  
  
"Yes, I know just where your mind was wandering." She looked away and smiled.  
  
Crichton grinned broadly. God, he loved arguing with her.  
  
"Where are we supposed to meet D'Argo?" Aeryn asked, bringing his mind back to business.  
  
"There's a bar in the main city square. It's a nice, central location."  
  
"A bar."  
  
"Yes, Aeryn. People, having fun, drinking, talking, dancing."  
  
"Dancing."  
  
"Hey, it could be fun. When's the last time you had fun?"  
  
"As I recall, it didn't involve a bar."  
  
"Well, see, now that's your problem. You don't know how to have fun."  
  
"Really," she said dryly, stopping to face him. "That's not what you said last week in the…"  
  
"Yeah, I remember. I still have the bruise to prove it."  
  
Aeryn looked into his eyes and smiled sweetly. "I'd be happy to give you another to match it." She turned on her heel and walked off in the direction of the town center.  
  
John stared after her for a moment and then followed, shaking his head. God, he loved arguing with her. 


	2. Peel Me A Grape

Title Wherever You Go, There You Are  
  
Spoilers: Don't think there are any, at least not yet.  
  
Rating: Um, PG just to be safe. Minor language, a wee bit of something resembling alcohol.  
  
Disclaimer: Stargate SG1 and Farscape are owned by lovely, wonderful people. I am not among them.  
  
A/N: see chapter one  
  
Wherever You Go, There You Are: Peel Me A Grape  
  
  
  
"Don't ever say I don't take you any place nice, Carter." Jack said, surveying the bar. It was packed with people, most of which were congregating around large tables watching what seemed to be the local version of poker. Electronic music swirled through the room, which reminded Jack, oddly enough, of Buck Rogers. The only source of light came from large liquid-filled vertical tubes that were scattered throughout the room. When they entered the bar, Carter immediately posited a theory on how the liquid amplified the light. Jack had turned her out after about the first five words.  
  
"Carter, if you can tear yourself away from the pretty lights, why don't you and Daniel strike up a conversation with some of the locals here and see if you can pick up anything. Teal'c, you're with me."  
  
Sam gave her CO a look that suggested what he might do with the pretty lights and moved into the crowd. Daniel followed her. Teal'c and Jack walked up to an empty space at the bar.  
  
"What are we to do, O'Neill?"  
  
"Look around, check things out, listen in…you know, eavesdrop." At Teal's raised eyebrow, Jack said, "Hey, how else are we gonna figure out what those weird things we found are?"  
  
"We could ask."  
  
"That would be Carter and Daniel's job."  
  
They found two empty seats at the bar, or at what looked like the bar. It was a large semi-circular counter in the middle of the room, suspended from the ceiling by six of the light tubes. Four servers stood behind the counter taking orders and punching them into a small computer screen. Behind the servers was a sort of conveyor belt that revolved behind a wall and emerged with full drink glasses. Or bowls. Or…buckets? Oh yeah, these people knew how to party.  
  
Jack waved a couple of fingers at a server. "Hey, barkeep. How 'bout a cold sarsaparilla?"  
  
  
  
  
  
"Damn, there's a lot of people in here." Crichton reached around Aeryn to grab his drink off the bar. He nodded to the big furry guy sitting next to her and made a mental note to just hang on to his glass.  
  
"That's interesting." D'Argo said. Aeryn turned to look.  
  
"What is?" Crichton asked.  
  
"Those people over there. They look like Peacekeepers."  
  
"Frell! Let's get out of here."  
  
"Wait, Crichton. They aren't Peacekeepers." Aeryn had an odd note in her voice.  
  
John tried to look around Aeryn. "Then who are they, Aeryn? Okay, where the hell are they?"  
  
"They're on the other side of the room. John, I think they might be…"  
  
"Excuse me." John tapped the big guy on the arm. "Could you move over a little? My friends are trying to show me something. No offense or anything, but you're kinda blockin' the view."  
  
The guy growled slightly, bared his teeth and then moved off the high bar stool and into the crowd, muttering something about frelling Sebaceans. John grabbed the seat and pivoted to look where Aeryn was staring. "Might be what, Aeryn?"  
  
He saw. "Oh, my god. It can't be. This is impossible."  
  
D'Argo disagreed. "You're here, aren't you?"  
  
"Are they human?" Aeryn asked.  
  
"Damn. Hell. Damn." He seemed to have forgotten some of the better curse words he'd learned growing up. "Yeah, they're human. Hell, they're Air Force."  
  
"Air Force?" D'Argo asked.  
  
"Yeah, um, it's a part of our, um, military. Well, not Earth, but the US. My country. My Air Force."  
  
"John, you're not making sense," Aeryn said.  
  
He snapped back, "Yeah, well give me just a sec to get used to this! There are four people dressed in uniforms that look like they are from Earth. This isn't possible."  
  
"Could it be that they are not from Earth?"  
  
"And they just picked those up from the surplus store?" He started to stand. "I'm gonna go find out who they are." And then the blond woman with the group turned around and John stumbled off the barstool.  
  
"They're from Earth."  
  
He started to laugh, which worried Aeryn. "How do you know? It could be a trick by Scorpius to lure you into the open."  
  
Crichton leaned over the bar, snagging one of the servers by her elbow. He said over his shoulder to Aeryn, "They're from Earth." Turning back to the server, he smiled and said, "Listen, I'd like to send a special drink to the lady over there." He pointed in the blonde's direction.  
  
"She didn't want anything." The server pouted.  
  
John smiled again, turning on the charm. "Listen, she's an old friend of mine. I'll tell you how to make the drink and you just give it to her and tell her it's from the guy across the bar."  
  
"They make all the drinks in the back."  
  
"Yeah, but you tell them what to make. You can tell them to do anything."  
  
She looked at him uncertainly, then brightened. "Sure. I can do that."  
  
"Crichton, what are you doing?" Aeryn asked.  
  
"Buying some time to pull myself together." He reeled off a drink recipe he'd made up on Moya that reminded him a little of a Cape Cod. The server punched it in to her computer and walked to the belt to pick up the drink.  
  
"Crichton…" Aeryn's voice warned him that she was not happy.  
  
He turned to face her. "Aeryn, they're not just from Earth. I know the woman. She really is an old friend of mine."  
  
"And the drink?"  
  
"It's one of her favorites. I want to get her attention and let her know that it's really me, before I start answering questions. And – I want to make sure it's her."  
  
About that time, the server placed the drink in front of the woman. She smiled at the server and Crichton thought his heart would stop. She shook her head and pushed away the drink. The server waved her hand over her shoulder and said something. The woman shrugged, said something to the man standing next to her, and picked up the drink. She sniffed at the drink, then took a small sip. Her eyes widened in surprise. She caught the server's attention and asked her something. The server pointed across the bar to John. The woman looked up and all the color drained from her face.  
  
John couldn't help himself. He called out, "Not bad, for an alien version of a Flaming Larry, don't you think?"  
  
  
  
  
  
Jack stood up to let his 2IC sit down. When she looked at him oddly, he said, "Chivalry isn't completely dead."  
  
"Thank you, sir." She said and sat down. A server approached and Sam waved her off.  
  
"Not feeling adventurous today, Carter?"  
  
"No, sir. Daniel tried one of the drinks and, um, I learned from his mistake."  
  
"Hey, it looked like coffee. It smelled like coffee."  
  
"And it tasted like?" Jack asked.  
  
Daniel grimaced. "You don't want to know."  
  
Jack looked flatly at the archeologist. "Did you find anything out during your culinary adventures?"  
  
"Uh, no. Not really. The language here is not a variation of any Earth language, at least not one that I know."  
  
Which was pretty much any language spoken in the past 10,000 years, Jack thought. Right. So these folks were probably from around here.  
  
Daniel was continuing, "…leads me to believe that the local population originated here."  
  
Jack gave him a half-smile. "Oh, yeah?"  
  
"Yes, and I've been thinking about the lack of Goa'uld markings or symbols. That would support an indigenous people theory. If the Goa'uld have never been here, or if the local people fought them off…?"  
  
"With what, Daniel? This place looks like a high-tech version of the wild west. Everybody's got a gun, but nobody's in charge."  
  
Carter turned. "Those ruins have been there for thousands of years. Maybe…"  
  
"O'Neill, I believe we are being observed."  
  
"Where?" He was still looking at Daniel and Carter, but his attention focused in the direction of Teal'c's nod.  
  
"There are three of them."  
  
"Yeah, I see. Carter, Daniel, don't turn around. Let's not draw any more attention than we already have."  
  
Daniel turned anyway. "They look human. Or humanoid, anyway."  
  
"Great, thanks. There's a difference?" Daniel opened his mouth and Jack stopped him with an upheld hand. "Never mind. Alright, Carter, you might as well take a look, too."  
  
Granted, she did it right, turning casually as if to say something to the man sitting next to her. "They look harmless enough to me. There don't seem to be many humans here; maybe we're just a curiosity."  
  
"Think they speak English? Or some other language Daniel knows?"  
  
"We could always ask."  
  
"Yeah, see, that's Daniel's job. Or yours. I just stand here and look menacing." Carter raised an eyebrow in a Teal'c-worthy look. "Okay, T looks menacing and I supervise."  
  
"Um, Jack?'  
  
"Yeah, Daniel."  
  
"I don't think they're a threat."  
  
"Using telepathy again, Daniel?"  
  
"No, it's just that…"  
  
There was the soft click of a glass on the counter. The server pushed the drink toward Sam.  
  
"Uh, thanks, but I'm not thirsty," she pushed the glass back and smiled at the server, not wanting to be rude.  
  
The server pushed the glass toward Sam again and then waved her hand over her shoulder in the general direction of the people watching them.  
  
"I think you have an admirer, Sam," Daniel said softly.  
  
"Figures. Out of all the gin joints in the world, I walk into this one." She shrugged, then picked up the class and sniffed its contents. "Doesn't smell all that bad." She took a sip and her eyes widened. "Wow. That's pretty good. It tastes almost like a Cape Cod."  
  
"Drink of choice, Carter?"  
  
"Yeah." She waved at the server, who was hovering nearby. She pointed at the glass and then pointed to the other side of the bar. The server nodded and pointed directly at a man staring intently at Sam.  
  
"So what do you think, Carter? Ready for him to meet Jacob?"  
  
The glass slipped out of her hand and hit the counter with a flat thud.  
  
"That's impossible."  
  
"Carter?" Jack asked, echoing Daniel's concerned, "Sam?"  
  
The guy she was staring at stood up and called out, "Not bad, for an alien version of a Flaming Larry, don't you think?" 


	3. Charmed Life

Title: Wherever You Go, There You Are  
  
Spoilers: Really minor ones for Farscape: A Human Reaction and the end of the1st season.  
  
Rating: Um, PG just to be safe. Minor language, a wee bit of something resembling alcohol.  
  
Disclaimer: Stargate SG1 and Farscape are owned by lovely, wonderful people. I am not among them.  
  
A/N: see chapter one  
  
Wherever You Go, There You Are: Charmed Life  
  
  
  
Jack was convinced she was going to climb over the bar to get to the guy, but instead she scrambled off the stool and slipped through the crowd. He was so surprised it took him a second to realize she'd handed him her gun as she moved. He lost sight of her, until she met the stranger in the middle of the room. He caught her and swung her around yelling, "Sammie!"  
  
Jack looked at Daniel. "Flaming Larry?"  
  
Daniel raised his eyebrows and shrugged.  
  
"It appears Major Carter is acquainted with this person," Teal'c said.  
  
Jack gave him a sharp look. "Yeah, thanks. Any idea who he is?"  
  
"No, O'Neill. However, as Daniel Jackson noted, he appears to be human."  
  
Jack looked over at the guy's companions. The, um, alien with the tendril thingies was watching the couple. The woman lowered her head and then looked up at Jack. Damn, he didn't have a clue who she was, but he sure recognized the look on her face.  
  
Okay. It was time to find out what was going on.  
  
"Carter!" He yelled over the heads of the people between them. She ignored him, so he yelled louder. "CARTER!" Daniel flinched and Teal'c raised an eyebrow.  
  
Jack was sure that the only time he'd ever seen Carter smile so much was, well, never.  
  
  
  
  
  
John looked down at her. " I think your CO is trying to get your attention."  
  
"He can wait. I want to know what you are doing here. Now."  
  
"It's a long story."  
  
"Nutshell."  
  
"Accident. Wormhole. Bigger accident. Big ship, aliens, bad guys, trying to get home – that more or less sums it up. You?  
  
"Wormhole. Secret military operation. Save the planet, several times. Aliens, bad guys. Yeah, that does it."  
  
"You know, I always thought there was more to that Deep Space Telemetry business than you let on."  
  
She nodded. "Just a little."  
  
John caught sight of Sam's team walking toward them. Her CO did not look happy. He looked over his shoulder at Aeryn and motioned with his head for her and D'Argo to join them.  
  
"Why do I have a feeling this is about to get a little West Side Story?" he asked Sam.  
  
"I was thinking more Outer Limits," she replied.  
  
Jack reached them. "Carter. Introduce us to your new friend."  
  
"Old friend, Colonel." John replied for her. "Sammie and I go way back." He held his hand out. "Commander John Crichton, IASA."  
  
"Jack O'Neill," Jack said warily, shaking Crichton's hand. "Just how do you know…Sammie?" he asked, practically swallowing the last word.  
  
"Colonel," Carter said, giving him that you're-being-over-protective- and-if-it-weren't-so-annoying-it'd-be-cute look.  
  
Daniel reached in to save Jack from getting his six kicked. "Dr. Daniel Jackson. And that's Teal'c."  
  
John nodded back at the Jaffa (although he, of course, had no idea Teal'c was Jaffa). He turned to his friends, indicating each of them. "Officer Aeryn Sun and Ka D'Argo. Otherwise known as…"  
  
"Crichton," Aeryn warned him from going any further.  
  
"Sorry, sweetheart. I'm just in a really good mood. Can we get outta here? It's a little noisy in here and I want to hear the sound of sweet, unadulterated English being spoken."  
  
"And go where – another bar? We don't know why they're here and we're not taking them back to the ship." Aeryn said.  
  
Jack, of course, heard a rather alien version of those words. "Whoa. That was…not understandable." He turned to the team's resident linguist. "Daniel?"  
  
Daniel shrugged. "I have no idea."  
  
"What?" Jack was thrown off guard. Daniel never had "no idea."  
  
"Sorry, guys. Forgot about that language barrier." John said. "She said it was nice to meet you."  
  
Aeryn glared at him. "I said no such thing, Crichton."  
  
"So, she can understand us, but we can't understand her," Sam said.  
  
Jack raised an eyebrow. "You understood that?"  
  
Sam grinned at John. "Not exactly, but I recognize that look. As I recall, it's the same look that he got from this girl he dated when…"  
  
"Carter!" Her CO interrupted. "The language thing?"  
  
Sam gave Aeryn a look that clearly said, we'll talk later.  
  
"The language thing." John explained. "Yeah. It's a microbe of some sort. It's not exactly a universal translator, but it gets the job done most of the time."  
  
"I don't suppose you have a grammar book or dusty tablet that Daniel can study?" Jack asked.  
  
Daniel shot him a look, to which Jack replied, "Hey, I'm just trying to keep you involved."  
  
"Let's just head somewhere we can talk," Sam said. "We set up camp at some temple ruins near the town. Unless you have a better idea?"  
  
John looked at Aeryn and D'Argo. The Luxan nodded and said, "Go with your friends, John. I'll take the supplies back to the ship and contact Moya."  
  
"I'll go with you," Aeryn said. John looked at her for a moment, questioning. Aeryn levelly returned his gaze. "The ship isn't far from the ruins; we saw them flying in. We'll find you."  
  
John shrugged and turned to Sam. "Lead the way."  
  
  
  
  
  
John and Sam walked slightly behind the rest of SG1, talking.  
  
"You know the anniversary of your disappearance was yesterday."  
  
"Yeah, I remembered. I made another tape for Dad."  
  
"Tape?"  
  
"When I got here, I recorded something almost every day. It made me feel, oh I don't know, closer to him. To home, somehow. I'm not sure if I ever thought he'd get them, but it helped to have someone to talk to. Now I'm afraid I'll run out of tapes. Not to mention there's been this whole being hunted thing. Doesn't leave much time for letters home."  
  
Sam stopped, placing a hand on his arm, looking up hesitantly. "John, I spoke with your dad this morning."  
  
John squeezed his eyes shut, as if to block a sudden burst of pain. "How…what did…how is…" He ran a hand over his head. "God, listen to me. I can't even ask."  
  
Sam smiled at him. "He's fine. He misses you. He's been working with DK to figure out what happened to you. Which leads me to ask… What did happen to you?"  
  
"It's a long story."  
  
Sam shrugged. "I'm not going anywhere."  
  
"Now that sounds familiar." John sighed. "Something went wrong when we ran the Farscape test. Somehow I created a wormhole – notice I don't have many details here."  
  
"Maybe I can help fill some things in."  
  
"Uh, huh. Adding another thing to our expert list are we? Gourmet cooking, jazz, motorcycles, and now wormholes…"  
  
"What can I say? It's a gift. Not to mention it's how I've been traveling around the universe for the past four years."  
  
"What, on your bike?" Sam cut him with a glare. At the same time, her CO yelled back at them, "Carter! Keep up!" She waved in acknowledgment.  
  
John tried to hide a grin. "Good to know you've got someone keeping you in line, Sam, since I'm not around. He's a little protective, though, isn't he? Does he know you once wiped the floor with three Hell's Angels?"  
  
She didn't stop walking, just turned her head to look at him. "No. And there were only two. Not that you would remember, having passed out long before they showed up. And weren't we talking about how we both got here?"  
  
"Right, wormholes. Um, about that… Maybe you shouldn't tell me anything about that just yet."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"That, Sammie, is an even longer story. Suffice it to say that the bad guy looking for me has a way of making people talk.  
  
"Sounds like you've been on the receiving end."  
  
"Yeah. Damn near killed me."  
  
"You know, we could fix that problem. Well, we can't hunt down the bad guy for you, but we can take you out of the equation."  
  
John stared at her, realization slowly dawning. They weren't in a ship; they traveled by wormhole; Sam had been on Earth that morning. He could barely speak the word, "Home."  
  
She stopped him again, with a hand on his arm. "Unless you don't want to go."  
  
He looked at her, uncomprehending. "Why would I not want to go back to Earth?"  
  
She nodded her head at one of her teammates – John remembered he was an archeologist – and said, "It's not unheard of."  
  
He thought of Aeryn. As much as he wanted to go home, the thought of leaving her…well he didn't want to think of leaving her.  
  
Sam recognized the look on his face and simply said, "Yeah."  
  
John closed his eyes and sighed. Taking her with him wouldn't work; real or not, they'd already been through that experience. She would be a curiosity on Earth, an experiment, an alien. He opened his eyes. "Sammie, I want to go home. I want football and barbecue and television and Sonic. I want to see my Dad."  
  
"But you don't want to leave her."  
  
The misery in his eyes answered her. She continued. "You know, there's something else in SGC tradition that's not unheard of."  
  
"It won't work, Sam. I won't put her through that ordeal."  
  
"Oh, ye of little faith." She grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the camp. "Let's go talk to Colonel O'Neill."  
  
"Yes, let's. I think he'll be very helpful considering right now he looks as if he wants to fry me with one of those very large weapons." He grinned mischievously and let go of Sam's hand so he could wrap that same arm around her shoulders. "What's going on between you two anyway?"  
  
She elbowed him in the stomach. He let go of her and stopped, bending over slightly to catch his breath, while she continued walking briskly into the camp. 


	4. Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me

Title: Wherever You Go, There You Are  
  
Spoilers: Farscape: A Human Reaction  
  
Rating: Um, PG just to be safe. Minor language, a wee bit of something resembling alcohol.  
  
Disclaimer: Stargate SG1 and Farscape are owned by lovely, wonderful people. I am not among them.  
  
A/N: see chapter one. Thanks so much to everyone that reviewed – you are a true motivation.  
  
Wherever You Go, There You Are: Do Nothin' Till You Hear from Me  
  
  
  
Aeryn knew, with simple gut instinct, that Crichton would leave. These people – his friends, she reminded herself – had a way to travel between planets without ships. Frelling wormholes. If it weren't for them, she'd be doing her job, just as she always had. She wouldn't have been running for her life, she'd always have enough to eat, she'd be with people like her. People…she didn't really know. Didn't really care about.  
  
She wouldn't have John.  
  
Annoying, frustrating, confusing man that he was. Their relationship was still new and Aeryn had little idea where it was going. However, she wasn't ready to give him up just yet.  
  
"Will you go with him?" D'Argo asked. They had reached the ship and were bringing the supplies on board.  
  
"I can't," she responded shortly.  
  
"What happened before, it wasn't…real."  
  
"It was real." She tossed a sack into the hold, making a loud thud against bulkhead. "It was real enough."  
  
"His friends did not act like the others."  
  
"So? They are here, not back on their base with their labs and containment rooms."  
  
"You think Crichton would allow them to mistreat you?"  
  
"I don't think he would have a choice. I think he will be in as much trouble, if not more."  
  
"Crichton is always in trouble."  
  
That made her smile as she carried the last of the supplies on board. "And you think he needs someone to watch out for him."  
  
"Don't you?" D'Argo stood leaning against a bulkhead with his arms crossed, watching her.  
  
If he didn't know her so well, he would have missed the slight hesitation as she walked past him saying, "I'm going to contact Moya."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Nice of you to join us, Carter." O'Neill said, somewhat caustically, as she walked over to where he and Daniel were unpacking equipment.  
  
Daniel tossed him a look that said 'be nice' and then turned to Sam asking, "So, how is he?"  
  
"Shouldn't the question be how the hell did he get here?" Jack asked.  
  
"Well, yes, if you're a cranky Air Force Colonel – oh wait, you are," Daniel said.  
  
"John's right behind me, sir. He hasn't told me the entire story, but I think he's had almost as many adventures as we have." She dropped her pack on the ground. "Apparently he was knocked through a wormhole during the Farscape test."  
  
"Yeah, so what is that?" Jack asked.  
  
"John was testing a theory using gravity to provide acceleration. Farscape One was the ship he was piloting when he disappeared."  
  
"And she's sitting in Moya's docking bay right now," Crichton said, joining them.  
  
Carter turned to him, a look of happy surprise on her face. "Really?"  
  
"What's Moya?" Jack asked.  
  
"Moya is a Leviathan, a living ship."  
  
"Living?" Carter asked.  
  
"Yeah, Sammie, you've got to see her. She's amazing."  
  
"She? You're flying around…in…some kind of creature?" Jack asked, disbelieving.  
  
John laughed. "Trust me, it takes some getting used to."  
  
"Do you actually control her?" Sam asked.  
  
"Pilot does, more or less." Seeing confusion, John backtracked to explain. "Leviathans are piloted by beings who had no other way of space travel. They have a kind of symbiotic relationship with the Leviathan. Once they become part of the ship, they can't leave." He looked off into the distance. "Aeryn can give you a better idea of how it actually works."  
  
"So, Commander," Jack's tone implied the 'if that is indeed who you are.' "What are you doing here?"  
  
"Trying to get home. It's your classic Lost in Space/Voyager scenario." He looked at Sam, concerned. "Is Voyager still on? Did they ever get home?"  
  
She laughed at him. "For the moment, not yet, and you hated the show!"  
  
"Yes, but now I'm living it."  
  
Jack tried to regain control of the conversation – something he seemed to be doing quite a bit of this mission. "So…need a lift?"  
  
"Yeah, about that."  
  
Teal'c approached the group. "O'Neill, General Hammond wishes to speak with you."  
  
Jack nodded, then turned to his 2IC. "Carter?"  
  
Sam weighed her words. "Sir, there may some danger in John knowing about the Stargate."  
  
"For us or him?" O'Neill asked.  
  
"Yes," John replied. "Suffice it to say there is a bad guy out there who would do – has done – a lot to get the information I have on wormholes."  
  
"I don't suppose he has glowing eyes," Daniel asked.  
  
"No. He's ugly as sin, but no glowing eyes," John said. "I'm guessing that's a good thing, right?"  
  
Daniel nodded once. "You could say that."  
  
Jack considered the situation for a moment, then said, " Alright, Carter, you and Crichton are with me. Let's go run this by Hammond. Teal'c, keep an eye out for his friends. Daniel…"  
  
"Temple."  
  
Jack nodded. "Let's go, people."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Aeryn, are these people who they claim to be?" Zhaan asked.  
  
"Yes." Aeryn's voice was steady and her expression bore no evidence of internal turmoil, but Zhaan knew her better. "I don't know why they're here."  
  
"Looking for John?"  
  
"No. They were surprised to see him. And only one of them knew him. She – they – seemed rather close."  
  
Ah, so that was it. "Where are they now?"  
  
"They've set up a camp at some ruins not far from here."  
  
"What kind of ruins?" As a Commerce Planet, Zhaan didn't think any one group had been on the planet long enough to leave ruins.  
  
"Temple, I think. We flew over them; didn't look like much."  
  
"Interesting."  
  
"We should bring the supplies back to Moya."  
  
"Actually, we're fine. Scans don't show any Peacekeepers, and Rygel and Chiana are being fairly civil to each other."  
  
"What are you suggesting, Zhaan?"  
  
"I'd like to study these ruins. I'd also like to meet John's friends."  
  
Aeryn sighed. Frell. "We'll wait for you here." She ended the communication and turned to find D'Argo standing behind her. "Zhaan is coming down."  
  
"I heard."  
  
Once again, Aeryn brushed past him. As she did, D'Argo heard her mutter, "I do not want to do this." D'Argo waited a moment then turned to follow her. He did not completely understand her relationship with Crichton; he knew she didn't either. However, he knew this sudden turn of events would force her to make a choice. Whatever it was, he would be close by.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"What?" Sam asked suddenly. John was staring at her intently as they walked a few yards behind O'Neill.  
  
He shook his head and looked away. "Just waiting to wake up." Sam smiled at him and he shook his head again. "Do you have any idea how much I missed that smile?"  
  
She dropped her head, still smiling. "I'm guessing more than DK's homebrew."  
  
"I mean it. You've been a constant in my life since that day on the quad. Didn't matter if I was in Houston and you were overseas. Even when you started…"  
  
"Working in a mountain?"  
  
"Yeah, that. Even then, you were never more than a phone call or email away. I've missed calling you at 2 A.M. to ask you some silly question or walking into the lab and finding a message from you."  
  
Sam tilted her head and looked at John. "I missed you, too."  
  
He narrowed his eyes at her. "Do you have any idea how many times I thought, if only Sam knew what was really out there?"  
  
"Probably about as many times as I had the same thought about you. I wanted to tell you." She hesitated. "I actually considered bringing you into the program, but you were already planning the Farscape and I didn't want to take that away from you."  
  
"If you had, I wouldn't be here."  
  
She closed her eyes against his words. "Yeah."  
  
"You didn't know."  
  
"Yeah, but I could've done something. I could've been there when things went wrong."  
  
"You're here, aren't you? Damn, Sammie, I should've known that if anyone would find me, it would be you. Doesn't matter if you were looking or not." He wrapped an arm around her.  
  
She leaned her head against his shoulder. "I was, you know. Looking for you. Subconsciously maybe, but still, every new planet I watched for any sign of you."  
  
"Just how many planets have you been on?"  
  
"Too many to count."  
  
"Gotta admit, didn't picture you wandering around the galaxy like this," he said, lightly poking at the P90 hanging around her neck.  
  
O'Neill called back, "Carter. Heads up."  
  
She looked in the Colonel's direction and saw the Stargate. "Trust me, the gun is necessary."  
  
"Don't I know it." Seeing the Stargate, he stopped. "Okay, what is that?"  
  
Jack, hearing his question replied, "You have a living ship, we have a big stone circle…thing." He waved his hand toward the DHD in a grand sweep. "Carter?"  
  
"Yes, sir." She walked to the large stone pedestal and began pressing the symbols to dial Earth.  
  
John's eyes grew bigger as the first chevron locked. He moved to peer over Carter's shoulder. "Uh, Sammie? Whatcha doin'?"  
  
She placed her hand on the red center stone and watched it glow in response. She nodded her head at the circle. "Watch this."  
  
The blue light pooled within the stone circle's center and swooshed out, causing John to jump slightly. Sucked back in, the light calmed to a shimmering surface.  
  
"Sweet," John drew the word out. "That's a worm hole?"  
  
"Oh yeah." Jack answered.  
  
"I'm impressed."  
  
A voice came from the MALP. "SG-1, this is Hammond. Do you read?"  
  
Jack activated his radio. "Afternoon, General."  
  
"Colonel, Teal'c said you encountered someone from Earth on the planet."  
  
"That would be me," John said, looking at Sam with a silent question. She pointed at the MALP and nodded. Moving to stand in front of the mounted camera, he waved at it.  
  
"General, this is John Crichton. He's with IASA." Sam came to stand next to him.  
  
"Why does that name sound familiar, Major?"  
  
"Sir, you remember when I took some time off to help with a failed IASA program testing a new spacecraft?"  
  
"Yes, Major. As I recall, you knew the pilot."  
  
"Yes, sir. That pilot was Commander Crichton."  
  
John said, surprised, "You left work to find out what happened to me?"  
  
At the same time, Jack said, "That's where you were?'  
  
Hammond forestalled her response to both questions by saying, "At the time, you said there was evidence of a wormhole, but that it wasn't connected to the Stargate network."  
  
Jack jumped in. "Wait a second – another wormhole? I thought you had to have a Stargate to create a wormhole. And why am I just hearing about this now?"  
  
Carter shook her head. "Theoretically, it's possible to create a wormhole anywhere if you have the right conditions. The ring transport is a good example. What it does is create a stable wormhole. John's wormhole wasn't stable, so it disappeared within a few minutes."  
  
Relief washed over his face. "It really disappeared?"  
  
"Yes." She drew her eyebrows together in a question. "Did you think it wouldn't?"  
  
"Long story," he replied. "I'll tell you later." He turned back to the camera. "General, I was pulled through the wormhole and have been looking for a way home since."  
  
" Sir, John is in danger if he stays here. He's being pursued by someone seeking information on wormholes."  
  
"Have you found any evidence of the Goa'uld on the planet?"  
  
"Not yet, sir," Jack replied. "Daniel thinks the locals weren't shipped in by the Goa'uld. The temple doesn't look like anything we've seen before either, but we're still working on it."  
  
"And the person pursuing Commander Crichton?"  
  
"I don't think so, sir, but he may be just as bad." Carter said.  
  
"I assume, Major, you would like to bring Commander Crichton back with you."  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
"Yeah, about that." John decided it was time to bring up Aeryn. "Don't think me ungrateful, General, but I might need to bring someone with me."  
  
"Colonel O'Neill?"  
  
Jack briefly studied John before answering. "I think we should consider it."  
  
"Commander, are you in immediate danger?"  
  
"No, sir. But that's usually when things get interesting out here."  
  
"Understood. I'll bring your request up with the Pentagon."  
  
"We'll check in again," Jack looked at his watch, "in four hours."  
  
"Good. Until then, Colonel, see what else you can learn. Hammond out."  
  
As the radio connection broke, the blue shimmer dissipated with a whoosh.  
  
"I really want to know how you do that." John said, looking closely at the shapes on the DHD.  
  
Sam grinned at him. "Hey, I had to figure it out on my own."  
  
Jack cleared his throat. "No offense, Crichton, but I'd rather you didn't figure it out until we know you're coming back with us."  
  
"Sooo, you're not going to be happy that I know these are constellations," John said, pointing to the DHD.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Seven of them…different constellations… Of course – coordinates."  
  
Jack spun to face his 2IC. "Carter?"  
  
She held up her hands. "I didn't tell him, sir."  
  
Jack glared at the other man for a moment, then said as he turned to head back to camp, "You know, Daniel's gonna be pissed somebody figured it out faster than he did." 


	5. You're Looking At Me

Title: Wherever You Go, There You Are  
  
Spoilers: Farscape: A Human Reaction  
  
Rating: Um, PG just to be safe. Minor language, a wee bit of something resembling alcohol.  
  
Disclaimer: Stargate SG1 and Farscape are owned by lovely, wonderful people. I am not among them.  
  
A/N: see chapter one. Sorry this chapter has taken so long – rough week. I'll try to get the next one posted soon, but there's a rather large paper looming over my head, so we'll see how it goes.  
  
Wherever You Go, There You Are: You're Looking At Me  
  
  
  
Daniel was copying the script from the inner wall into a journal when Crichton walked into the temple. John waited until he had reached the end of a line before he said, "Hey."  
  
Daniel responded with a wave of his hand and an absent, "Hi."  
  
"Find anything interesting?"  
  
"Um, yeah, probably, although it would help if I could read it."  
  
John laughed. "Maybe we can do something about that."  
  
"Your microbe thing," Daniel waggled a finger at the back of his neck, "does it work for reading?"  
  
"Nope, sorry. Only for the spoken word."  
  
"Oh, well."  
  
"However," John said, squatting down beside the archeologist, "Zhaan may know something about this place."  
  
"Zhaan?"  
  
"She's a…crewmate. Friend. Delvian priest."  
  
"You think she may have encountered something like this before?"  
  
"Maybe. You can ask her; Aeryn said she's on her way down."  
  
"That's great, I could use the help. Um," Daniel set his notebook down. "So, she and…D'Argo?" he checked with John to see if he'd gotten the name correct and continued when Crichton nodded. "They're back?"  
  
"Yeah. Well, Aeryn is. She got here about the same time we did. D'Argo is waiting for Zhaan."  
  
"How's she taking all of this?"  
  
John sighed. "Aeryn is…unflappable. At least on the surface."  
  
"And how about you?"  
  
"You the ship's counselor, too?"  
  
"Well, I'm assuming that General Hammond didn't say come on back, otherwise Jack would be in here yelling for us to pack up and go. It has to be frustrating to be so close to home and not be able to actually go there."  
  
"Yeah, well. Been there, done that." He tapped Daniel's notebook with a finger. "He wants you to find out more about this place."  
  
"Hmmmm, yes, I'd rather like that myself."  
  
John laughed. "We'll see what Zhaan has to say."  
  
"Aren't we still going to have that little communication problem?"  
  
John smiled. "Communicating with Zhaan is always an interesting experience, even when you know what she's saying. She'll find a way to make herself understood. And I'll be around to translate."  
  
"Good, because I'm not making much headway here."  
  
"What are you looking for?"  
  
"Well, there's nothing remotely similar to ancient Earth languages or mythology. So, the next thing…"  
  
"Whoa, back up. You're used to seeing ancient Earth languages on other planets?"  
  
Daniel almost laughed at his disbelief. "Sam didn't tell you?"  
  
"She left that little detail out. So, you're saying that, what? Aliens built Stonehenge?"  
  
"Well, I'm not sure about Stonehenge, but they had a lot to do with the Pyramids."  
  
John rocked back on his heels. "Okay then. Changes my worldview a bit. Have to admit, I was curious why an archeologist would be on a military team."  
  
"The Stargate was found in Egypt. I'm an Egyptologist by trade, so I was, um, recruited to translate the hieroglyphs on its cover stone."  
  
"And you've found stuff from Egypt on other planets."  
  
"In addition to other ancient cultures."  
  
"So, for what – four years? – you've been traveling around the galaxy, finding pieces of Earth."  
  
Daniel looked away before answering, "Yeah."  
  
John hesitated, realizing he'd struck a nerve. "Bad four years?'  
  
Daniel picked up a rock from the ground, staring at it as he absently tapped the flat side against his boot. "Longer, actually. My first, um, mission was about five years ago." He sighed. "We had no idea what we were doing, no idea what the Stargate was or the size of the Gate network. We found a people that had been removed from Egypt and enslaved thousands of years before the pyramids were supposed to have been built." He tossed the rock away. "We helped free them and thought by doing so we'd gotten rid of the bad guys. The Gate wasn't supposed to be used again after that, but we discovered the Goa'uld threat was much bigger than we imagined."  
  
"And the Air Force called you back in."  
  
Daniel smiled, sadly. "Something like that. When the rest of the team went back to Earth, I stayed."  
  
Suddenly, Sam's earlier words made sense to John. "Oh."  
  
Catching the understanding in the other man's eyes, Daniel simply said, "Yeah."  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"She was taken as a Goa'uld host. I went back to Earth, and what had become the SGC, hoping to find her."  
  
John couldn't ask the question – he knew this story didn't have a happy ending. Daniel answered anyway. "She died about a year ago."  
  
"Do you regret staying?"  
  
There was no doubt in Daniel's look. "Not for a moment." He dropped his eyes. "I take it you're faced with a similar decision here?"  
  
"Sam thinks she could go to Earth. General Hammond said he would consider it."  
  
Daniel shrugged. "We've offered asylum to a few people. You don't sound happy with that option, though."  
  
"We ran into these aliens. They…made me believe I had found a way home. Aeryn ended up there with me. It was pretty much straight out of the Twilight Zone. Didn't end well, except that it didn't actually happen. Left a lasting impression, though."  
  
"Hmmm, one of those." He nodded. "At least she would have fewer problems than Teal'c. You should see his collection of hats."  
  
John laughed shortly. "Yeah, she'd be fine, until she had to go to a doctor."  
  
"Well, then, you could stay close to the SGC. You both would be in good company."  
  
"You really think it would work."  
  
"If it's what you want."  
  
Just then, the two men heard footsteps on the rough floor of the temple. Turning, Daniel saw a tall, blue woman enter the room. John was impressed with the archeologist's lack of reaction as he stood to greet her.  
  
"Hey, gorgeous." John called out.  
  
"John." Her voice was low and calm, and Daniel immediately wanted to hear her speak again.  
  
"You meet everyone outside?"  
  
"They introduced themselves. Aeryn said you wished my help in here."  
  
"Yeah." He waved a hand at Daniel. "Zhaan, Daniel. Daniel, Zhaan."  
  
Zhaan bowed her head in response to Daniel's "Nice to meet you."  
  
"Daniel's an archeologist; he studies ancient Earth cultures."  
  
Surprised, Zhaan said, "You expect to find evidence of your planet here?"  
  
"That's exactly what I said," John punctuated his point with a finger jab.  
  
Daniel looked at John with raised eyebrows. "What?"  
  
John shook his head. "Sorry. The whole Earth on other planets deal."  
  
"Right. Um, thousands of years ago, a parasitic alien race took humans off of Earth to serve as hosts. They scattered them around the galaxy, thus we've found human settlements or evidence of human culture in different parts of the galaxy."  
  
"But not here," Zhaan said.  
  
When Daniel looked expectantly at John, he repeated, "But not here."  
  
"Right." Daniel answered. "We've never been to this part of the galaxy before." He looked at Zhaan. "I was hoping you could help me decipher some of this writing."  
  
Zhaan studied the young man for a moment. "You are a linguist."  
  
John translated.  
  
"Yes."  
  
She nodded once. "John, I believe we can stumble through on our own."  
  
"You sure?"  
  
"Aeryn needs you outside. I will call if I need any help."  
  
"You got it, Blue." John turned to Daniel. "I'm gonna leave you two alone. Zhaan thinks you won't have any problems."  
  
"Okay. Um, get Jack to give you a radio so I can call you if I need any translation."  
  
"Will do. You kids have fun now." With a wink at Zhaan, John left the temple.  
  
Daniel turned to face Zhaan. "Right. I can do this. I've done this before. Lots of times." She smiled at him. "And you can understand everything I say, right?" She nodded. "Yeah, and I'm babbling like an idiot. This is a good way to start." She smiled again and turned to study the writings. "Yeah, why don't you just take a look around, let me know what you think." He picked up his notebook. "I'm just going to…" he pointed at the wall, a gesture which turned into a shrug, "keep, um, working over here." 


	6. Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea

Title: Wherever You Go, There You Are  
  
Spoilers: None, I think  
  
Rating: Um, PG just to be safe. Minor language.  
  
Disclaimer: Stargate SG1 and Farscape are owned by lovely, wonderful people. I am not among them.  
  
A/N: Two chapters for the price of one!! And…..we have a winner!!!!! Thanks to Zoe for her correct guess in the chapter name game. The name of each chapter comes from a Diana Krall song. If you've never heard her, you've missed some fantastic jazz. I suggest you run right out and find some of her CDs. Or read first and then go :-)  
  
Wherever You Go, There You Are: Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea  
  
  
  
Sam was waiting for John when he left the ruins, Jack and Teal'c close by. Aeryn and D'Argo sat off to one side. "Hey kids," John said as he approached them. "Everybody getting along okay out here?"  
  
"Oh, we're doing swell, thanks," Jack answered from where he sat leaning against a large stone block. He and Teal'c had cleared a spot for a fire since they were going to be there for awhile; everyone had naturally gathered around it even though there was no fire yet.  
  
" John, I don't suppose you can do that little language thing for us?" Sam asked.  
  
"Carter!" Jack gave her a look that suggested she'd lost it.  
  
She shrugged. "It would be useful."  
  
"I've had enough with the alien languages running around in my head."  
  
"It's not that bad, O'Neill. Just a little bug they inject you with," John said.  
  
"Yeah, see, that's not helping."  
  
John laughed, and remembering his own reaction to the microbe, looked to Aeryn. She shook her head disdainfully. "Crichton, it's a miracle your people ever got off their planet."  
  
"Do I want to know what she said?" Jack asked.  
  
"You know, maybe it's a better idea if you don't get the microbe treatment."  
  
"I'll take that as a no."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"It is possible that the microbes would not work on myself or Major Carter," Teal'c said.  
  
Sam tilted her head and nodded. "Good point. And Janet would most likely…"  
  
"Have a cow?" Jack finished for her.  
  
"Something like that."  
  
"Janet?" John asked, sitting on the ground, grabbing Sam's hand and pulling her down with him.  
  
"5'4" of power-mongering, needle-poking, Torquemada wanna-be."  
  
"Ah. Base doctor?"  
  
"Oh yeah."  
  
John cocked his head at Sam. "Why do say that the microbes wouldn't work on you or Teal'c?"  
  
She checked with her CO, silently asking what she could say. He considered a moment, then asked John, "You think it's dangerous for you to know about wormholes."  
  
John answered, "I already know about wormholes. I think it's dangerous for me to know about your wormholes."  
  
Jack nodded. "I think we can explain the Goa'uld without giving away too much on our wormholes. Teal'c, you want to do the honors?"  
  
The Jaffa nodded once. "The Goa'uld are symbiotic parasites; they take human hosts. Until the symbiote matures, they are carried by Jaffa, of which I am one."  
  
"You have a parasite inside you?"  
  
"Oh yeah," Jack answered. "Junior. Cute little guy."  
  
Teal'c raised one eyebrow. Jack pulled his cap down further over his forehead. "Sorry. Go on."  
  
"I do carry a symbiote, but I am not blended with it. It sustains, but does not control me. Because of its presence, certain things do not affect me."  
  
"So Junior might kick the microbes out of your system. I can buy that. But you said they wouldn't work on Sammie. Why not?"  
  
Sam took a deep breath and released it slowly. "About two years ago, I was blended with a symbiote. She was a Tok'ra – um, the good guy version of the Goa'uld. She…died to save me. But the blending left a protein marker in my blood that causes me react to certain things as if I still had a symbiote."  
  
John stared at her for a moment, silent. The look in his eyes reminded Sam of just how much she had missed him. She'd wanted to tell him about Jolinar so badly. Not that the rest of her team wouldn't have listened, but it wasn't the same as telling the person who had talked her through one broken heart, a couple of bad professors and more than a few family gatherings.  
  
"That's why you didn't call before I left, right? I would've known something was wrong."  
  
"Yes," she nodded.  
  
He grinned at her. "You ever do that again, Samantha, and I'll kick your ass."  
  
She returned the grin. "Yeah, and who got that black eye from Zoe?"  
  
"Hey, just because you were teaching her how to kickbox and thought she needed a confidence boost."  
  
Sam looked at Aeryn. "Does he still get beat up by girls?"  
  
Aeryn actually smiled at the other woman. "All the time."  
  
"I am so not translating that and am now rapidly changing the subject. Does your dad know about all of this?"  
  
Jack laughed sharply. "Oh, Dad is just like another member of the team."  
  
Carter rolled her eyes at her CO. "He knows. Yet another long story short – Dad was blended with a Tok'ra symbiote. By now, he probably knows more than we do about the Goa'uld."  
  
"And?" John prompted.  
  
"He's not on Earth much these days, but things are better. He even went to see Mark."  
  
"Really? So you two are spending more time together?"  
  
"Yeah. Granted, it's usually part of a mission, but still."  
  
"And, oddly enough, it's usually a mission that gets us almost killed." Jack said. He was closely watching his 2IC and the new guy. Hadn't quite figured out what he thought about Crichton, but Carter trusted him. That much was obvious from the way she told him about Jolinar and her father – quietly, with a peace Jack didn't usually see when she mentioned either the Tok'ra or her family.  
  
"And yet, you're still here."  
  
"Hey, I said almost."  
  
"Jacob Carter is not at fault, O'Neill," Teal'c spoke up. "Our work is inherently dangerous."  
  
"Yeah, I know. It's the Tok'ra's fault." Jack replied.  
  
"The Tok'ra are allies of the Tauri," Teal'c tried again.  
  
"Point of order. Tauri?" John asked.  
  
"People of Earth," Sam said.  
  
"Has a nice ring to it."  
  
"Yeah, except when it's being used as a Goa'uld insult." Jack said. It was time, once again, to regain control of the conversation. Not wanting to ask how long the two of them had known each other, and exactly how well they knew each other – 'cause that would make him sound jealous, which he wasn't, at all – really – Jack chose another question. "So, Crichton, you've met Jacob?"  
  
Sam started laughing. John got a pained look on his face. "You're not really going to tell them the story, are you?"  
  
"I think Aeryn and D'Argo deserve to hear this."  
  
"Yes, John. I think hearing this story could help us to understand you," D'Argo said, smirking.  
  
"Or at least give us something we can use to make fun of you later," Aeryn agreed.  
  
"Thanks for your support, guys."  
  
Sam settled into a more comfortable sitting position, leaning forward to tell the story. "Our second year at MIT, John and I were working with this professor on a research project. We couldn't take enough time off to go home for Thanksgiving…"  
  
"Annual family holiday. Big meal, lots of football," John interjected.  
  
"So, we decided to get all of our friends who weren't going home together and have our own Thanksgiving dinner at my place. Well, three days before Thanksgiving, Dad calls. Said he wouldn't have to work after all, and could he join us for dinner."  
  
"Knowing Jacob, he didn't ask," Jack quipped.  
  
Sam ignored him. "He got there late Wednesday night, so we didn't get much of a chance to talk. The next morning John calls and says his dad, who was supposed to be in Houston, surprised him with a visit. Now keep in mind, we'd never met each other's fathers; neither of them had come to Boston since we started school. So, John says he's sending his dad over while he goes to pick up some of our friends."  
  
John picked up the story. "One reason Dad showed up is that I'd been telling him about this girl I was dating. Of course, I'd also been telling him about Sam."  
  
"So…not the same person," Jack said, with that little half-smile on his face.  
  
John laughed. "God, no." (At least that's what he said out loud – to himself he chuckled and thought, Unclench the jaw, O'Neill.) "But what I hadn't told him was that I'd broken up with that particular girl."  
  
"So John's dad gets to my place and is just a little too happy to see me. And while he's talking to me about how nice it is that John has me, my dad is standing in the other room listening."  
  
"Jacob? Eavesdropping? No…" Jack said. Sam raised an eyebrow in his direction. "Sorry. Go on," he murmured, pulling his cap down yet again.  
  
"About the time my dad finally walks in, other people start arriving. So our fathers get to spend some quality time together..."  
  
"Discussing their children's relationship," D'Argo finished for her, aware of how a father would react.  
  
"Exactly," John said. "Unbeknownst to me, Dad was sharing everything I'd ever told him about Jenny with Jacob."  
  
"What happened when you got back to Sam's house?" Aeryn asked, causing Jack to wince slightly. He was never going to get used to that language.  
  
"When I got back to Sammie's place? Well now, Aeryn, that's when things got interesting."  
  
"By that time, everyone was there, so things were a bit crazy. However, John found some time to sneak away," she tried to hold back laughter, "with his, um, new girlfriend."  
  
Aeryn sat back, a smile playing over her lips. "That's interesting. Just how many women do you date at a time, Crichton?"  
  
John glared at Sam, who was looking at him expectantly. "You wanna know what she's saying, you get another translator."  
  
Sam shrugged, still grinning. "I sent Dad around to tell everyone when dinner was ready. He found John and his girlfriend rather, um, actively engaged."  
  
"Hey – we weren't that…engaged. Clothing was present."  
  
Jack looked up from under his cap, guessing where the story was going. "So, Jacob, who thinks that you're dating his little girl behind his back, finds you with someone else. I bet he went ballistic."  
  
"That's putting it mildly. Then my dad shows up, thinks the same thing, more chaos ensues."  
  
"It took a shouting match with my dad, Zoe – of the black eye fame – dragging John's dad out of the room, and the sworn testimony of ten grad students to convince both of them John was telling the truth."  
  
"I'm not entirely sure we actually convinced Jacob. He still doesn't like me."  
  
Jack laughed. "Jacob doesn't like anybody."  
  
"And, to top it all off, my date never spoke to me again."  
  
"I should think not," Aeryn said.  
  
Jack slowly got to his feet, saying, "I don't know about you, campers, but all that talk about Thanksgiving made me hungry."  
  
"Mmmm. MREs. Gee, I miss military food," John said.  
  
"You got something better?"  
  
"At the moment, no."  
  
"As it happens, I think we do. Let's light the fire, play a little soft music and you two can regale us with more stories while we eat dinner." 


	7. I Don’t Know Enough About You

Title: Wherever You Go, There You Are  
  
Spoilers: None, I think  
  
Rating: Um, PG just to be safe. Minor language.  
  
Disclaimer: Stargate SG1 and Farscape are owned by lovely, wonderful people. I am not among them.  
  
Wherever You Go, There You Are: I Don't Know Enough About You  
  
  
  
"Teal'c, you told Danny we were eating dinner, right?"  
  
"I did, O'Neill. He wished to continue working in the temple."  
  
"Big surprise. Did you tell him what he's missing out here?" Jack looked at John and Sam. They had been swapping MIT stories for an hour now – which Jack supposed was better than them swapping astrophysics theories – with Jack providing color commentary and the other three asking occasional questions.  
  
"He is determined to translate the temple writings."  
  
"Yeah, yeah, I know. He still needs to take a break." He set down the metal coffee cup he was holding. "If he's not out here in five minutes, I'm going to go drag him out."  
  
"He's very good at his work, isn't he?" John asked.  
  
"The best in his field. All three…four…three…of them." Jack replied. "So, speaking of geniuses, just how did you get here? Carter explained – sort of – the whole experiment thing, but what's your story?"  
  
"Actually, it's all Sammie's fault I'm here," John said, pointing at her.  
  
"My fault?" Sam asked from her spot by the fire.  
  
"Well, it is. You were the one who worked out the original calculations. It was my idea, your math genius and DK's jelly doughnuts."  
  
"And who actually convinced IASA to fund your crazy idea?"  
  
"Upon reflection, I'm thinking you might have had something to do with that as well."  
  
Sam opened her mouth to deny it, but John winked at her and she knew he was aware of her actions several years ago. "I may have dropped a few words in the right ears."  
  
Jack cocked an eyebrow at her. "Professional fundraising for secret military programs a hobby, Carter?"  
  
"It was at the same time I was lobbying for Stargate funding, sir, but Project Farscape was never military. IASA was interested in doing advanced R&D, but because it involved international interests, we couldn't bring them in on the Stargate program."  
  
"Lucky for me." John said.  
  
Sam gave him an odd look. "If you say so."  
  
Daniel dropped onto the ground between Jack and Sam, and having caught the last few words of the conversation said, "And lucky for us."  
  
"What did you find out?" Jack asked.  
  
"It's definitely a temple. With Zhaan's help, I was able to translate part of the, um, writing on the wall." To John he said, "She's a rather remarkable, uh…"  
  
"Plant." John filled in the proper species. "Big, blue, sunshine- lovin' plant."  
  
"Yes, um, well, she's been a great help."  
  
"So, who built it? Jack asked impatiently.  
  
Daniel ducked his head for a moment, and said, "Although the language is unfamiliar, as I mentioned before, and it's not like any other work of theirs we've seen, I'm reasonably sure the temple was built by…"  
  
"The Goa'uld. Great, just what we need." Jack interrupted, throwing a rock into the fire.  
  
Daniel stared at his friend. "Would you like me to finish?"  
  
"Not the Goa'uld?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Asgard?"  
  
Daniel sighed. "No."  
  
Jack hesitated a moment. "Nox?"  
  
"Jack…"  
  
"All right, I give up."  
  
Daniel waited for a moment to see if Jack was serious, and when the older man gestured for him to go on, he said, "From what I can tell, it was built by the Ancients."  
  
Jack looked somewhat impressed. "Really?"  
  
"Which would explain the presence of a Stargate." Sam added.  
  
"Exactly. As best I can tell, it was either built before any other ruins we've seen, or it was built by a separate branch."  
  
"Another group of Ancients?"  
  
"Yeah. Maybe explorers or an advance building party."  
  
Sam said, "Maybe they split the universe into quadrants and what we've encountered has only been one line."  
  
John, looking rather pale, asked, "Ancients?" Aeryn looked sharply at him.  
  
"Quadrants, Carter? Like Alpha, Gamma, Delta…" Jack asked at the same time.  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
"I thought you didn't watch Star Trek."  
  
Carter shrugged. "Only the one with wormholes, sir." She grinned at him. "Didn't think you were a DS9 fan, Colonel."  
  
"Teal'c made me watch it."  
  
"Hey!" John yelled from across the fire, getting three heads jerked in his direction as a response. "Someone. Explain. Now."  
  
Sam recovered first. "The Ancients are the beings that created the Stargate. We've run into their work on several worlds."  
  
"And gotten a little too close from time to time." Jack added.  
  
"Yeah, I know the feeling," John said acerbically.  
  
Sam asked almost in disbelief, "You know who the Ancients are?"  
  
"You could say that. Since they've poked around in my head, messed with my mind and generally screwed up my life!" Crichton's voice got louder and louder until he was yelling again. Aeryn placed a hand on his arm. She said something to him, which he responded to by shaking off her arm. She grabbed it again, and spoke more sharply. John dropped his head, while the rest of the group stared at him in a mixture of confusion and sympathy.  
  
Daniel was the first to break the silence. "We haven't actually encountered them in, um, person. If you have, then you've seen something we haven't."  
  
John's head shot up. "Yeah? I bet I've seen lots of stuff you haven't."  
  
Daniel hesitated, then said, "Yeah, you probably have." His voice took on the same tone he used on Jack when the Colonel was being particularly bullheaded. "Be that as it may, we've studied the Ancients. Never met them, but we do know a bit." He looked directly at John. "Let us help."  
  
John returned his gaze for a moment, then looked first at Aeryn, then D'Argo. The Luxan nodded and, when after a moment she did as well, he said, "What do you know?" 


	8. Lost Mind

Title: Wherever You Go, There You Are  
  
Spoilers: SG1: Window of Opportunity; 100 Days. Farscape: A Human Reaction.  
  
Rating: Um, PG just to be safe. Minor language.  
  
Disclaimer: Stargate SG1 and Farscape are owned by lovely, wonderful people. I am not among them.  
  
A/N: My apologies on the wait for this chapter. Hope it was worth it! And again, my thanks to all who have reviewed.  
  
Wherever You Go, There You Are: Lost Mind  
  
  
  
Daniel went into his natural lecture mode. "The Ancients are the race of beings who built the Stargate network. They were members of an alliance of races – the others being the Furling, and the previously mentioned Nox and Asgard. They apparently left our neighborhood some time ago. We've found some of their worlds, which have been abandoned for thousands of years."  
  
"Abandoned?"  
  
"Well, we don't know what caused them to leave. On at least one planet, there was some sort of major catastrophic event, but we don't know exactly what."  
  
"Daniel, is it possible that the group that built this temple was from one of those planets?" Sam asked.  
  
The archeologist shook his head. "Not from one that we've been on. So far, all the language we've seen has ties to ancient Earth languages. Like Latin," he added for Crichton's benefit.  
  
"Oh yeah. I remember that." Jack commented under his breath. Daniel gave him a look, to which Jack responded, "Well, okay, I don't actually remember that." He pointed a finger at Daniel. "I do, however, remember the Latin."  
  
Daniel slightly raised an eyebrow, then deliberately continued. "I've found some familiar references here, but the writing could not have come from any planet we've been on."  
  
"Why not?" John asked.  
  
"Let's say whoever built this was an advance party or, um, someone sent out to scout a new world. They would have had the same linguistic roots as the people they came from. We've seen this particular effect on worlds where humans were settled. The language changes, but the foundation stays the same."  
  
"So, since you don't recognize anything, they have to be different than the Ancients you've run into."  
  
"Well, different, yes. From a different planet, at least. But I think they are still the same race of, um, people. The writings mention a catastrophic event that occurred on another planet. Apparently our friends here were contacted with a request for help, but were unable to respond because the Stargate on the other end was malfunctioning. By the time they reached the other planet, it was too late."  
  
" And that helps us how?"  
  
Daniel looked over at his teammates. "There was a line of text buried in everything else that Jack and Teal'c should recognize." After a moment of digesting that information, their simultaneous reaction was about what he'd expected.  
  
Sam tilted her head and asked, "P4X-639?"  
  
Teal'c raised an eyebrow.  
  
Jack shouted, "Tell me there's not another one of those damn machines here!"  
  
To which Daniel quietly replied, "There isn't."  
  
Jack, slightly mollified, said, "Alright then. You should've said that in the first place."  
  
John raised his hand. "Point of information?"  
  
Sam answered, "P4X-639 was a colony of the Ancients. They built a time machine to prevent the catastrophe Daniel mentioned, but it didn't work."  
  
Jack jabbed a finger in the air. "Oh, it worked, alright."  
  
"Okay, it worked, but not like it was supposed to."  
  
"So, the planet mentioned in the temple is a planet you've been to?" John asked, confused. When Daniel nodded, he continued, "And from this we are to assume that since the Ancients were on that planet, they must have been on this one as well."  
  
Both Sam and Jack looked to Daniel. "It's a strong possibility. We're, um, very familiar with the event in question…"  
  
"Some of us more than others," Teal'c murmured.  
  
"…And there are additional patterns in the temple which mimic other writings of the Ancients." Seeing that he hadn't convinced Crichton, Daniel added, "Think of it like Chinese and Arabic. Two completely different languages – different styles, different characters. But they developed on the same planet at different times. Now imagine that one of them completely picks up and moves to Mars. Something bad happens back on the home planet and the one left behind sends a message to the other on Mars asking for help."  
  
John held up a hand. "I get it. They're connected. So how did this crew get all the way out here?"  
  
"Still working on that. Zhaan ordered me to take a break – said something about how cranky humans get when they haven't eaten."  
  
John laughed. "She should know."  
  
"And yet, you still haven't eaten anything," Jack commented.  
  
"Um, yeah."  
  
Jack sighed heavily and passed him a plate. Daniel nodded his thanks and began picking at the food.  
  
Sam mused, "Assuming that the Ancients who built this place are the same Ancients that you met, why did they leave? What are they looking for?"  
  
"A new home," John answered her. When she looked at him in question, he added, "That's what he said."  
  
"The poking around in your head?" she asked.  
  
He nodded. "They created what I thought was a wormhole to Earth, except it wasn't. They were testing the reaction humans would have if they suddenly showed up on Earth."  
  
"It wasn't a good reaction, I take it."  
  
"No." John punctuated the word with a bitter laugh. "He told me that they only had enough energy left to transport their race one more time, and that they needed to be sure before they moved. They had hoped Earth would welcome them."  
  
Daniel and Sam exchanged looks. "They didn't already know about Earth?" Daniel asked.  
  
"Not much, no. And I'm assuming they didn't know about your little operation either, since they didn't take that into account."  
  
Sam glanced at O'Neill. "Sir, if they aren't familiar with Earth, it means they haven't had any contact with any of the others."  
  
"Others?"  
  
"Asgard, Goa'uld, Tok'ra. Anybody. Otherwise, I'm pretty sure they wouldn't have needed to test a reaction."  
  
"We're that important?' John asked.  
  
"Oh, I don't know if important is the word I'd use," Daniel said.  
  
"Let's just say our reputation is well deserved and generally precedes us," Jack added.  
  
"Why where they looking for a new place to live?" Sam asked.  
  
"Didn't say. I got the impression they'd been at it awhile."  
  
Daniel put down his plate. "So, you've actually met an Ancient. That's definitely something we haven't done. I think."  
  
"You're not sure?"  
  
Daniel raised his eyebrows and shrugged.  
  
"Trust me, you'd remember if you met these guys. Big, ugly, kinda insect-y."  
  
"How did they test you? Or Earth?" Sam asked.  
  
"That's the kicker. They put me down in an almost perfect simulation of Earth, including people I knew." He picked up a small stone and started to throw it, but Aeryn put a hand on his arm again. John dropped the rock and said, "The alien running the test looked like my dad."  
  
"They're shape shifters?" Daniel asked.  
  
"I don't know that I would call them that, although they do have the ability to disguise themselves."  
  
Sam exchanged looks with Aeryn, who nodded. She'd been there. "It can't have been easy, going back to Earth and then having it pulled out from under you," Sam said.  
  
"No, but I can't say I minded seeing home again, even if it wasn't actually home." He sighed. "I wish I'd been able to bring some things back with me. There are a few things I'd like to introduce to this part of the universe."  
  
"Such as…?" Jack asked.  
  
"Iced tea. Jimmy Buffet. Basketball."  
  
"I would think that might make it harder – having things from home to remind you of what you can't have," Sam said.  
  
Jack looked around at the group. "Okay, all those who have been stranded somewhere for more than a couple of weeks with little chance of ever seeing home again – raise your hands." As he finished, his hand shot up in the air. John followed suit and then Daniel raised his hand. Aeryn and D'Argo traded glances of comprehension.  
  
Sam looked at Daniel, eyebrows raised. He shrugged and said, "So it was voluntary. The principle is the same."  
  
"And you still wanted things from Earth?"  
  
"Yeah. It might have easier not to have it, but I still wanted it."  
  
"What did you miss most?" John asked.  
  
Daniel smiled. "Books. Aspirin. A decent bottle of wine."  
  
"Coffee," Jack interjected. "I can't imagine you going without coffee."  
  
Daniel nodded. "And you?" he asked, not really looking at Jack. They had never really discussed what happened on Eudora.  
  
"Pizza. Refrigerators. Hockey."  
  
John laughed. "I tried to make pizza once."  
  
"Once being the operative word," Aeryn muttered.  
  
"You don't even want to know what I had to use as pepperoni." He shuddered for effect. "The point is, we try to recreate home wherever we go. We're there and we might as well make the best of it." He looked up at Sam, who was laughing silently at him. "What?!"  
  
"That's an excellent philosophy, Professor Crichton."  
  
"Yeah, when I get home, I'm going to publish a whole book of Crichton- isms." He held his hand up to illustrate an imaginary title. "John Crichton's Guide to Life: Everything I Need to Know I Learned From SETI."  
  
"SETI?" Aeryn asked.  
  
"Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence," John answered. "Number one: aliens can understand us; they just aren't listening. Number two: if they were listening, they wouldn't care. Number three: static happens."  
  
Sam rolled her eyes as Jack said, "Oh, that'll be a best-seller. In Roswell." He stood. "Okay, campers, enough talk. Let's all find something to do."  
  
"Um, I think I may need to go back to the SGC; I have some things there that might help," Daniel said.  
  
"Carter, how much time do we have before we call home?"  
  
"About two hours, sir."  
  
"Time for a field trip?" John asked.  
  
Jack raised an eyebrow. "Field trip?"  
  
"Sure." He pointed a finger toward the sky. "I have a friend with a really big ship."  
  
Sam looked at her CO, who would have laughed at the eager kid-in-a- candy-store look on her face if he thought he could get away with it. Instead, he sighed heavily. "Alright. Teal'c?"  
  
"I will stand watch here, O'Neill."  
  
"Good. So, Carter, we're with Crichton, Teal'c's on guard, and Daniel…"  
  
"I know. Temple."  
  
"Go ahead and contact Hammond if you need something. He can send it through."  
  
Daniel nodded, stood and made his way back into the temple.  
  
John looked to his companions as Jack was handing out assignments. "Anybody wanna place bets on how long it takes before O'Neill shoots Sparky?"  
  
D'Argo laughed. "I would like to see that."  
  
Aeryn smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Come on, Aeryn. Entertainment like this just doesn't open the door and roll out a welcome every day."  
  
She shrugged. "I think I'll stay here. In case Zhaan needs any help."  
  
John nodded. A smart man chose his battles with Aeryn Sun wisely and this was not one he could win. "Suit yourself." He turned to the two Air Force officers. "You kids ready?"  
  
Before Jack could say yes, Sam jumped in. "You two go ahead. I just thought of something I think Daniel should look for."  
  
Exchanging looks, both men shrugged.  
  
Sam ran after Daniel, catching him just as he entered the ruin's shadow. "Daniel!"  
  
"Sam? What's up?"  
  
"You're going to have the General send you some things, right?"  
  
"Yes..." He drew the word out into a question.  
  
"I need you to get a few things for me." 


	9. I Love Being Here With You

Title: Wherever You Go, There You Are  
  
Spoilers: None this time, I think.  
  
Rating: Um, PG just to be safe. Minor language.  
  
Disclaimer: Stargate SG1 and Farscape are owned by lovely, wonderful people. I am not among them.  
  
Wherever You Go, There You Are: I Love Being Here with You  
  
  
  
"Hey, Pilot!" John called out in response to Moya's hail. "We got some VIPs on board, so break out the marching band and ticker tape, will ya?"  
  
"If you would like to arrange a greeting party, I'm sure Rygel and Chiana would be happy to meet you in the landing bay."  
  
"No, we wouldn't," came another voice. "Unless you've brought food, Crichton, I suggest you return to the surface."  
  
Jack tilted his head from one side to the other, grimacing. "Don't any of these people speak the same language?"  
  
"Rygel, my little bundle of joy, I brought you delicacies beyond your imagination. In fact, I had to leave Aeryn on the planet to work off the cost."  
  
"Good, that's more for me."  
  
Pilot said, "Officer Sun is not with you?"  
  
"Not to worry, Pilot. She and Zhaan stayed on the surface to help out our new friends."  
  
"Did these new friends bring food?"  
  
"Rygel, stop talking so I can land."  
  
Rygel made a noise of derision. "It's time you recognized your lack of piloting abilities."  
  
John reached over and switched the radio off. Over his shoulder he said, "One day, Sammie, you and I have to swap annoying alien stories. Ten bucks says I've got you beat hands down."  
  
"I think they're just annoying cause you can understand them," Sam said.  
  
"Oh, I don't know, Carter. I don't understand the Tollan and they're pretty annoying," Jack commented.  
  
Sam leaned forward to peer over John's shoulder. "Then again," she said under her breath, looking at the transport's controls, "They don't have to be alien to be annoying."  
  
"Heard that, Major." Jack was going to follow up with another smart remark, but was distracted by the ship looming in front of them. "That's where we're headed?"  
  
"Moya. She's a beauty, isn't she?"  
  
"Yeah," Sam breathed. "She's amazing."  
  
"Hang on, we're going in."  
  
  
  
  
  
Teal'c sat off from the fire a bit, engaged in Kelnoreem. With the others gone, it was a perfect opportunity. However, he had not counted on the presence of Aeryn Sun. Teal'c recognized a fellow warrior in her, but at the moment, she was simply…annoying. Pacing around the perimeter of the camp, occasionally sticking her head in the temple to check on Zhaan, poking at the fire. She walked into the temple again and, after a moment, Teal'c heard Zhaan escort her outside the ruin, admonishing her. Even though he didn't understand the words, the tone of voice was unmistakable. It was similar to the tone Daniel Jackson took with O'Neill when the colonel attempted to rush him through a translation.  
  
As Officer Sun settled once again by the fire, Teal'c concluded that he would not be allowed to complete his meditation. Not unusual, that, considering his teammates. Sighing silently, Teal'c judged the situation. While he was patient, something to occupy the time would be most welcome.  
  
"Officer Sun," he said. She looked at him, questioning. "I believe our companions may be gone for some time." She nodded. "And as Daniel Jackson and Zhaan do not require our assistance, I shall use this time to train. Perhaps you would care to join me?" He stood, hefting his staff weapon.  
  
She deliberated a moment, then stood as well, saying, "Sounds like fun." When he raised an eyebrow, she added, throwing up a hand, "Right. You can't understand me, but I can understand you. So let's just fight, shall we?"  
  
A tiny smile appeared on Teal'c face, which Aeryn took as either a good sign or a very, very bad one. "What is that thing anyway?" she asked, pointing at the weapon and walking to him.  
  
Teal'c raised it level to the ground. "The staff weapon releases a burst of energy from this end, although it has other uses." Surveying the site, he found a long tree branch. After testing its weight and balance, he handed the staff weapon to Aeryn with a slight bow. Raising the wooden branch in salute, he said, "We will test your skills in combat."  
  
Her expression indicated offense at his assumption that she needed to be tested, changing into confidence that she could hold her own. She twirled the staff a few times to get the feel of it, then charged the Jaffa. He easily parried the blow, then blocked her next move as well. Aeryn stepped back, circled and let him make the next move.  
  
He attacked with a series of overhand strikes, then rapidly followed with an underhand move. She caught it at the last second and brought her staff low to catch it and push back. As she did so, she slipped her right arm up the staff and brought the weapon around in a sweeping arc over her head and under Teal'c's left leg. He fell, absorbing the impact with his elbow and rolling. Coming up into a crouch, he raised the staff over his head blocking her blow. Standing, he pushed her back, throwing her off balance. He caught the lower end of her staff with his, swinging up. The weapon flew from her hands.  
  
Barely pausing, Aeryn lashed out with a side kick as Teal'c's staff completed its motion. Connecting her foot squarely with the middle of the wood, she straightened her knee with a force that snapped the branch with a loud crack. Teal'c raised an eyebrow as she stepped back with a satisfied look on her face.  
  
Tossing the pieces away, he nodded once. "You fight well, but you allow yourself to be led. You must learn to anticipate your opponent's strategy."  
  
Aeryn considered his words. A small, chill smile appeared on her face. She raised her fists in front of her face, a universal sign. He inclined his head in acquiescence. This, as O'Neill might say, could be fun.  
  
She circled. "I need to anticipate? Funny, I'm not the one who carries around a big stick for protection." She knew he didn't understand her words, but his amused expression indicated that he caught her meaning. Actually, his amused expression wasn't really any different from any other expression Aeryn had seen in the short time since they met, but the current look on his face was similar to D'Argo's when he was enjoying a good fight.  
  
She jumped in with a lightening fast one-two combo. He easily dodged, and then commented, "You also need to learn patience." He let her complete another half-circle, and when she threw the next punch, he grabbed her forearm as it flew past his face. He pulled her in his direction and stepped past her as she spun around. Blocking her next punch, he dropped under her guard.  
  
Aeryn stepped back, switching weight to her back foot and forcing Teal'c to reach forward. She ducked under his first punch and blocked the second by swinging a slightly bent arm in an up-and-out arc. Using that momentum, she threw a punch with her other fist.  
  
He caught it with one hand. Throwing her fist to one side, he spun with the movement, sweeping a leg behind her. As she fell, she kicked out enough to entangle him. He went down as she rolled in the opposite direction.  
  
On his feet again, Teal'c aimed a series of blows at her midsection, but she blocked them all, stepping back each time. Finally, instead of blocking his fist, she grabbed his forearm with her right arm knocking the punch off course, then swung her left arm against the upper part of his outstretched arm, using that leverage to bring him down.  
  
Teal'c moved his other arm under her hold, breaking it. As she stood, Teal'c swept one leg against the back of her knee. She kept her balance, but in that time, Teal'c regained his feet.  
  
"Hold, Aeryn Sun." She stopped, keeping her guard up. Teal'c straightened, then bowed. "Much time has passed since I had the opportunity to spar with someone as proficient in hand-to-hand combat as you."  
  
Surprised, she dropped her hands. "Yeah." She bent over, placing her hands on her knees, to catch her breath. "Which is why you barely broke a sweat."  
  
Teal'c walked back to the supplies and pulled out a canteen. He tossed it to Aeryn. Catching it with one hand, she opened it and took a long drink. "Thank you," she said and offered it back to him. Teal'c accepted, and after drinking, set the canteen down and retrieved his staff weapon. They both settled back by the fire, Aeryn noticeably calmer.  
  
After a few moments of silence, Aeryn turned to Teal'c and asked, "Where did you learn to fight?" Then remembering, she held up one fist and jabbed it a few times in the air, then pointed to him and then, after thinking a moment, tapped first the corner of her eye, then the side of her head.  
  
"You ask about my fighting."  
  
Aeryn nodded. Thinking again, she put a hand on the ground, then waved a hand pointing first to herself then Teal'c. She patted the ground again and waited a moment. She pointed to Teal'c and then to the sky.  
  
"Where have I fought?"  
  
Aeryn shrugged; close enough.  
  
"I was the First Prime of Apophis, a Goa'uld. I carried out his orders, fighting against the Jaffa that served other Goa'uld lords." Aeryn could hear the loathing in his voice as he continued. "The Goa'uld enslave worlds, forcing the people to worship them as gods. I, too, believed for a long time that I served a god. I was trained by a Jaffa named Bra'tac, who served as First Prime before me. He taught me to believe what I saw, that the Goa'uld could not be gods. I joined the Tau'ri in their fight against the Goa'uld in the hopes of showing all Jaffa the truth about their masters. I am considered an outcast and a traitor."  
  
Teal'c considered a moment, then said, "If I may make an assumption, Aeryn Sun." She nodded and leaned forward.  
  
"You have formal military training. You carry yourself as one born to a warrior's life. And you have been exiled. By choice or by force I cannot tell."  
  
"Both, actually, not that it's important." She leaned back and threw a small piece of wood into the fire. "So, now that we've bonded, what do we do?"  
  
Teal'c stood and picked up the staff weapon again. Aeryn shook her head. Teal'c activated the weapon and Aeryn saw the glow of energy crackle around the larger end.  
  
She smiled. "We can shoot things. Excellent idea."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Um, what was that?" Daniel asked, hearing what sounded a little too much like weapon's fire for his comfort. He grabbed his radio. "Uh, Teal'c, everything okay out there?"  
  
The reply came back, "Indeed, Daniel Jackson. We are well."  
  
"Oookay. Just checking. Thought I heard something." To Zhaan's questioning glance, he said, "Sometimes I've learned it's better not to ask."  
  
Smiling, she nodded comprehension. Pointing to a section of wall, she waved him over.  
  
Daniel peered at the indicated writing. "Hmmm, what do we have here?" He gently ran his fingers over the markings, translating to himself as he went. "It looks like an account of their departure from the planet."  
  
"I agree," Zhaan said, then nodded to reinforce her meaning. She pointed at a particular sign.  
  
"Hive?" Daniel guessed, which Zhaan confirmed with a spoken, "Yes." The two had managed to build a basic vocabulary with which to communicate: yes, no, planet, ship, here, there, Stargate, temple, writing, why, time, name, first, last. Still, Zhaan was confined mostly to visual communication. Daniel really wanted to continue learning her language, but the translation of the temple writing was the first priority. "Well, that means that these are probably the same aliens that John met. It looks like there was only one hive. So, we can assume this planet was just a stop, part of their search for a home. But how long ago were they here?"  
  
He sat back on his heels. "Okay. Let me run this past you." Pointing at various parts of the text as he spoke, he outlined his theory. "Sometime – way, way, way in the past – this group of Ancients came to this part of the galaxy. I don't think they started as a hive. See, here they refer to a council. Or, at least that's what I think it is. Anyway – somehow they were cut off from the rest of the gate network, or the home world anyway. Definitely during the event I told you about, even though they didn't have to endure the Groundhog Day effect. But they mention using the gate after that."  
  
"However, there are no indications that anyone came back through the Stargate," Zhaan said. She pointed towards the sign they had agreed indicated an individual Ancient and then traced a line backward from the Stargate sign.  
  
"Right. No one came back through. So, either they didn't make it through in the first place, or once on the other side they couldn't get back." She nodded. "Which means that is most likely when they lost contact with their home, which if it wasn't P4X-639, then whatever happened there affected more than one world. Past the looping thing, I mean." He paused to consider. "Actually, when you stop to think about it, there had to be some larger effect. I mean, we were only caught up in the loop for a few months, but who knows how long the original loop was. If it were years, then the Gate system could have been thrown out of alignment. The DHD is supposed to correct any problems with drift, but what if being cut off from part of the network causes that part to drift out of…correctable alignment? The Ancients here could get to certain places, but not the ones cut off by the loop. Like Earth, for example. Which is another interesting thought, considering that we don't know what was happening on Earth at that time. No Goa'uld records mention it, so it probably happened before they came to Earth, which means that the Ancients were here at least 10,000 years ago."  
  
He started when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Zhaan stood over him, smiling gently. "Sorry," Daniel said. "Usually, Jack yells at me before I stop and think about things too much."  
  
"If this gate was cut off from the Earth gate, then how did you get here?"  
  
He thought for a moment. "How did we get here? Excellent question. Well, maybe the drift could be corrected from the system that was cut off. I'd have to check with Sam, but since we can override certain parts of the dialing program, I'm guessing that maybe the elapsed time could be taken into consideration and the DHD reprogrammed to compensate. But maybe that only works from one end." She nodded, gesturing for him to go on.  
  
"The Ancients here wouldn't have known about the looping and wouldn't have known to compensate for the time. So, anybody going through the gate would end up in the wrong place." He shuddered at the image created by that idea. "We got this gate address from a planet of the Ancients, so it could have been a corrected one."  
  
He stood and walked around the room. "And as for why they left…maybe they were just trying to get home. And when they failed, they started looking for any home."  
  
Zhaan nodded, and not finding anything else to say, simply nodded again.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Welcome to Moya," John said, spreading his arms out and turning. Jack sauntered out into the landing bay, while Sam slowly took everything in. D'Argo followed carrying some of the supplies.  
  
Sam remembered something. "Hey, John?" she asked.  
  
He bowed low, folding one hand over his chest and sweeping the other toward the other end of the bay. "Right this way, m'lady."  
  
She walked past him and around another smaller ship. Seeing her goal, she turned back with a big grin on her face. Jack thought, yep, kid in a candy store.  
  
Knocking gently on the Farscape I hull, she said, "She looks a little beat up."  
  
"You try getting knocked across the galaxy and see how you look."  
  
"She still flies?"  
  
John waved his hand in a so-so motion. "More or less."  
  
"I could give you a hand. Fix any major problems," she said eagerly.  
  
"Sammie, sweetheart, I don't think we can take her with us."  
  
"It wouldn't be the first time we've flown something through the gate."  
  
"We'll build another, I promise." He grabbed her hand. "C'mon. I'll give you the grand tour."  
  
Jack pointed to the corridor walls as they walked through the ship. "This is…alive?" When John nodded, he added under his breath, "Why do I feel like Jonah?"  
  
As they walked, John pointed out various things, all of which pretty much went over Jack's head. Mostly because he wasn't paying attention, but that was beside the point. It was a ship. Granted it was alive, but it was still a ship, with ship…things. He noticed that, as usual, Carter was enthralled by what Crichton was saying. Give her five minutes and she'd be able to find her way anywhere on the ship. Give her ten, and she'd know exactly how everything worked. They rounded a corner, Crichton saying something about ventilation, and…  
  
"Whoa." Jack couldn't help himself. As much as he'd seen, you'd think nothing could surprise him, but this….  
  
"Crichton, what is the meaning of this? Who are these people and what are they doing here?"  
  
"They're friends, Rygel. Play nice." John tossed him a small sack. Rygel immediately opened it and grunted minor satisfaction over its contents.  
  
"Can we hope that they came to take you away?"  
  
"Face it, Rygel. You know you'll miss me." John started walking again with a wave to the others to follow, which they did with Jack and Sam on either side, Rygel floating behind them.  
  
"So…what's with Yoda back there?"  
  
John laughed. "Rygel is the deposed ruler of his people. He's a pain in the ass, but mostly harmless, although he'd sell his mother if he thought he could get something out of it."  
  
Something small zipped by their feet. "Again with the whoa," Jack said.  
  
John laughed. "DRD. They're part of the ship's systems, small enough to get into tight spots."  
  
Sam commented, "You know, they kind of look like…"  
  
"The little square robot on wheels from Star Wars?"  
  
"Except with antennas."  
  
"I know. Crazy, ain't it."  
  
"What, exactly, do they do?" Jack asked.  
  
"Fix things, mostly. Occasionally we find more creative uses for them."  
  
"What do you think, Carter? Might be kind of fun to have a few of these around the base. We could use 'em to play jokes on everybody."  
  
"I think, sir, that the General might not appreciate your idea of a joke."  
  
Jack narrowed his eyes. "Ah, you're probably right." He looked at John. "So, what's next on the tour?"  
  
John nodded in the direction of the young woman who had just appeared in front of them and then looked at Jack for his reaction.  
  
O'Neill looked at the woman, shrugged, and said, "I've seen stranger." 


	10. If I Had You

Title: Wherever You Go, There You Are  
  
Spoilers: A Human Reaction  
  
Rating: Um, PG just to be safe. Minor language.  
  
Disclaimer: Stargate SG1 and Farscape are owned by lovely, wonderful people. I am not among them.  
  
A/N: My sincerest apologies for this update taking so long. Real life and writer's block - a deadly combination. I promise (really, really, really :- ) that I'll do better! Thanks to everyone who has provided inspiring reviews - hope this was worth the wait!  
  
Wherever You Go, There You Are: If I Had You  
  
  
  
  
  
"Crichton, what have I told you about bringing home strays?"  
  
"Ah, come on, Chiana. They followed me home; can't I keep 'em?"  
  
"No, you cannot," Rygel said, moving around the three humans. "There are far too many of you humans on Moya as it is."  
  
"They're really from your world?" Chiana asked, giving both O'Neill and Carter the once over.  
  
"Yes. Sam Carter, Jack O'Neill, Chiana." He pointed at each of them in turn. "Sam's an old friend of mine."  
  
"Really?" She prowled around Sam, asking suggestively, "Just how good of an old friend?"  
  
"Chiana." John warned her off.  
  
She held up her hands, but didn't back away. "Just asking."  
  
Sam, who stood there during the conversation with an amused look on her face, asked, "Do I want to know?"  
  
Before John could answer her, Rygel said, "They can't understand us? Inferior beings."  
  
"Don't they have the microbes?"  
  
"No. Our little backwater planet hasn't figured out things like that yet, remember."  
  
"So, get one of the DRDs and hook them up."  
  
"Not gonna happen, Chi."  
  
Jack leaned over to Sam and said under his breath, "They're talking about us, aren't they?"  
  
"Yes, sir, I would assume so."  
  
Jack shook his head once and grimaced. "I hate it when they do that."  
  
"Just smile, sir, and pretend whatever John tells us is what they actually said."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Do you really want to get into an argument with someone you can't understand?"  
  
Jack nodded. "I see your point."  
  
"After all, isn't that why you hang out with me and Daniel?" She turned quickly to catch what Crichton was saying, smiling politely at the others.  
  
Dumbfounded, Jack could only say, "What?" Either this Crichton was a bad influence on her.or she had been spending way too much time with her CO. No time to consider which was worse; Crichton was directing them down the corridor.  
  
They stepped into a large room that Jack judged to be the bridge. Command center. Pel'tac. Whatever. He heard Carter say, "Wow," and silently echoed that sentiment. At least it didn't look like a Goa'uld ship. Although.  
  
"What's up with this no chairs thing?"  
  
Everyone turned to look at him, Carter adding, "Sir?" He shrugged and gestured in a wide arc. "I'm just saying, what is it with the lack of adequate seating arrangements on alien space ships?"  
  
"Gives us more room to stride boldly around and look like we're doing something important," Crichton said.  
  
"Oh. Okay."  
  
"Commander Crichton," a voice came from around them, "Could I see you, please?"  
  
"Sure, Pilot. You're our next stop."  
  
Jack gave him a look. "More?"  
  
"You wanna stay here?"  
  
Catching sight of Chiana's feral grin, Jack said, "Oh, I think I can manage a bit longer."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Daniel brushed the dirt off his pants as he stood. "Okay. We've done about all we can do here for the moment. I need to get some things from the SGC. Maybe some of the other things we've found can shed some light on the rest of this mystery."  
  
Zhaan nodded and lifted a hand in farewell - or to shoo him off. Daniel wasn't sure.  
  
"Would you, um, like to come with me? I mean, I'm not actually going through, but you haven't seen the Gate yet."  
  
Zhaan considered a moment, then nodded. "I believe Aeryn should accompany us as well."  
  
Daniel translated to himself, then said, "That's, actually, a good idea. I think General Hammond would like to meet her. And she might feel better about the whole idea."  
  
He grabbed his notebook and followed Zhaan outside. Not seeing Teal'c right away, Daniel radioed his teammate. "Hey, Teal'c. It's Daniel. Where are you?"  
  
"We are on the other side of the temple, Daniel Jackson." A burst of sound from a staff weapon punctuated his words.  
  
Rounding the ruins, Daniel saw Aeryn aiming a staff weapon at a makeshift target some distance away. The blast hit the piece of wood dead on, splintering it into dozens of small chunks. Teal'c gave Aeryn a small nod of approval as she lowered the weapon.  
  
"I see what you mean about the aim being different," Aeryn said, more or less to herself. Catching sight of her shipmate she called, "Zhaan! Having fun?"  
  
"Yes. As are you, it appears."  
  
Aeryn handed the staff weapon back to Teal'c and grinned. "Would you like a try?"  
  
Zhaan smiled indulgently. "Not right now, thank you, Aeryn."  
  
"Do you require assistance, Daniel Jackson?"  
  
"Uh, not exactly. I'm going to the 'gate and I thought Zhaan and Aeryn might like to go," he said, directing the last part at Aeryn. "Has, um, John mentioned his idea?"  
  
"He wants to take me with him."  
  
Zhaan nodded, knowing that Daniel would not understand Aeryn's words. "He has asked permission of their General Hammond."  
  
"He hasn't asked me."  
  
"He is protecting you."  
  
"I can take care of myself."  
  
"Very well, then; he is protecting himself. As long as he believes there is a chance you will go with him, he does not have to choose whether or not to stay here."  
  
"He would not stay because of me."  
  
"You underestimate him."  
  
Daniel, catching the gist of the conversation from Zhaan's side, said, "Aeryn, maybe if you come with us and talk to General Hammond, you'll feel differently about coming to Earth."  
  
"Crichton won't like it if we travel to his planet without him," Aeryn said, stalling.  
  
"We are not traveling through the Stargate, Aeryn, only contacting Daniel's people."  
  
Aeryn noticed Teal'c remained impassive throughout the debate; she had a feeling that he understood the discussion, which was enforced by his raised eyebrow challenging her when she caught his eye. "Alright then." She'd never backed down from a confrontation before; she wasn't about to start now. "Let's go."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"This here's the best seat in the house," John said as they walked into Pilot's chamber.  
  
Jack looked up and saw a many-armed being sitting behind a large panel. "And that would be."  
  
"Pilot. This is where all the action is."  
  
"This is the control center for Moya?" Sam asked.  
  
"Yep. And this is the big guy that runs it all." John leaned over the panel. "How you doing, Pilot?"  
  
"We are well, Commander. Moya and I are pleased you have found some of your own people."  
  
"Not half as pleased as I am, my friend. Pilot, I'd like you to meet Major Samantha Carter and Colonel Jack O'Neill."  
  
"Major Carter, Colonel O'Neill, welcome to Moya. We are delighted to meet friends of Commander Crichton's."  
  
As John translated, Jack looked around the cavernous room. "We? Would this be the royal we? Or do we have someone else floating around here?"  
  
"Moya can't exactly speak for herself, so Pilot does the talking for both of them." John turned back to Pilot. "So, what's up?"  
  
"Moya has picked up several strange energy bursts on the planet's surface."  
  
"Any idea what they are?"  
  
"They seem to be.small wormholes. There have been two since our arrival, and Moya believes there was another shortly before. The most recent one occurred just microns ago."  
  
Carter and O'Neill shared a look. "Uh, yeah. I think that's our fault," he said.  
  
"You ever heard of something called a Stargate, Pilot?" John asked.  
  
"Big, round stone thing." Jack added helpfully.  
  
An arm waved slightly in thought. "I am unfamiliar with anything fitting that description."  
  
John shook his head at Sam, then turned back to Pilot. "The Stargate creates a small, stable wormhole. I'm guessing those are the readings Moya picked up."  
  
"This Stargate is how your people traveled here?"  
  
"Go figure, right? All this time I thought I was the first person from Earth to travel through a wormhole and now I find out there's a whole outfit built around it. All this junk stored up here for nothing." He tapped his head.  
  
"Junk?" Sam asked.  
  
"Wormhole knowledge. During my close encounter with the Ancients they stuck the Wormhole 101 primer in my head. But they locked it up. I didn't even know about it until that damn machine started rooting around in my brain."  
  
"Oh, that sounds familiar," Jack said.  
  
"Do you remember what it is?"  
  
"No. I know it's there, but I can't access it."  
  
Sam said thoughtfully, "The Tok'ra could probably help. They have a device that helps recall memories."  
  
"No. Hell no. Emphatically hell no."  
  
"See," Jack addressed Carter, "I'm not the only one in the universe who doesn't trust their - devices. And he's never even met them."  
  
Sam held up her hands. "It was just a thought."  
  
An arm waved, then pushed a large control. "Commander, Moya just observed another wormhole reading."  
  
"Moya picked another wormhole," John told the other two.  
  
"Probably Daniel contacting the SGC."  
  
Sam counted back in her head. "Or getting the supplies he needed."  
  
"So, we should head back."  
  
"Actually, sir, Daniel will need some more time. And I'd like to learn more about Moya."  
  
Now this was familiar. Jack looked around and picked out a reasonably comfortable-looking spot to sit. "Learn away, Carter," he waved a hand at her.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Neither Aeryn nor Zhaan jumped at the Stargate's whoosh, although Aeryn raised an eyebrow in an impressive imitation of Teal'c. Daniel stood in front of the MALP, waiting for General Hammond.  
  
"Dr. Jackson." Hammond appeared in the small screen. "What's your status?"  
  
"Oh, everything's fine. I'm still working in the temple. Teal'c is here, and Sam and Jack went with Commander Crichton to, um, Moya." Daniel gestured upwards with one hand.  
  
"Moya?"  
  
"It's a, uh, ship. More or less. Their ship, actually." Daniel turned to Zhaan and Aeryn. "General Hammond, may I present Pa'u Zotoh Zhaan and Officer Aeryn Sun. They are crewmates of Commander Crichton's."  
  
"I'm pleased to meet both of you. Dr. Jackson, what have you been able to determine?"  
  
"With Zhaan's help, I've been able to read most of the temple writings. I'm fairly certain the Ancients used this world as some sort of colony, or long-term way station."  
  
"No sign of the Goa'uld?"  
  
"No. And since this Gate address came from the Ancients, it's possible the Goa'uld are not aware of it. There's still some more work I need to do, though."  
  
"How long do you expect to be off world?"  
  
"I doubt they'll be back for a few more hours. And I need a few things from the base to do anything else here."  
  
"What do you need?"  
  
Daniel read off a list of supplies: a couple of books, one of his mission journals, a few random tools, and a few other things that generated a questioning look from Hammond. Daniel's response was only to say, "Sam's request."  
  
The general nodded. "I'll see what I can do."  
  
"Thank you." Daniel glanced at Aeryn again. "Um, while we're here, I thought you night like to - chat - with Aeryn. At least reassure her that the SGC is not some testing facility for aliens. It would make her feel better about coming back to Earth with us."  
  
"This is the person Commander Crichton wants to bring back with him."  
  
"Yes."  
  
Hammond sighed. "About that, Dr. Jackson. I need to speak with Commander Crichton when he gets back to the planet's surface."  
  
Daniel thought a moment. "The Pentagon said no, didn't they?"  
  
"They feel that there is not sufficient justification in this situation."  
  
Frustration crept into Daniel's voice. "Which part isn't sufficient? That she's a valuable source of information, or that she's being hunted by her own people? I only ask because we've provided asylum for less."  
  
Hammond's voice dropped. "There is some concern that Commander Crichton's status as part of IASA would jeopardize the secrecy of the SGC."  
  
"Don't you mean it would jeopardize the government's control over him? Wait a second. You're saying that they don't want him to come back at all?" Daniel shook his head. "First of all, I don't think we have to worry about either of them showing up on the cover of a tabloid. They both know the consequences of exposure. And second, I think Sam was hoping they would join the SGC. We could use their help."  
  
"They would be valuable allies indeed," Teal'c spoke up.  
  
"I'm doing what I can, but I need some assurances from Commander Crichton. In the meantime, I'll send your supplies through."  
  
"We'll be here." Daniel turned away from the MALP as the Stargate disconnected. "So, I'm thinking that didn't help much, did it?" he asked Aeryn. She shook her head. "Don't worry - we've saved the world a few times. I'm sure somebody owes us a favor." 


	11. This Can't Be Love

Title: Wherever You Go, There You Are  
  
Spoilers: Nothing new.  
  
Rating: Um, PG just to be safe. Minor language.  
  
Disclaimer: Stargate SG1 and Farscape are owned by lovely, wonderful people. I am not among them.  
  
Wherever You Go, There You Are: This Can't Be Love  
  
  
  
The 'Gate disconnected again, this time with a pallet of supplies on the ground in front of the stone ring.  
  
"You know," Daniel commented offhandedly, picking up one of his books, "I'm really beginning to dislike the people in the Pentagon."  
  
"We must find additional leverage for General Hammond to use."  
  
"Well, we've, um, gone through political asylum, first-hand knowledge of distant part of galaxy, first-hand knowledge of race that created the Stargate. And, oh yeah, the fact that Earth is his home. Not sure what other cards we have to play."  
  
"There is always another option."  
  
Daniel sighed. "I think they'd let us bring Aeryn back as long as we promised not to bring John with her." He thought for a moment, looking briefly at the two women sitting on some rocks nearby. "Actually, I think they'd let us bring Zhaan back if we promised not to bring John." Teal'c raised an eyebrow. Daniel said, "Yeah. The Pentagon works in mysterious ways."  
  
"We should contact O'Neill and Major Carter."  
  
"Let's give them a little more time, just in case. Besides, I want to take another look at the temple. Maybe there's something else we can use." He picked up a backpack bearing the title "Major Carter" in large black letters. "I'm beginning to think Sam should have asked for a bit more."  
  
"You were not successful?" Zhaan's smooth voice asked from behind him.  
  
"Um, no. General Hammond is doing everything he can, but our - people - are not cooperating." He glanced at Aeryn, who had approached with Zhaan. "Believe it or not, the issue is not with you. The Pentagon, our, um, military leadership," furrowed eyebrows indicated the archeologist's current opinion of that leadership, "still believes it is a bad idea to let John come home."  
  
"Irreversible contamination," Aeryn muttered under her breath and stalked off in the direction of the temple.  
  
Daniel looked to Zhaan for a translation. She shook her head, speaking slowly so that he would understand. "It is not my story to tell, but she understands what this will mean to John."  
  
He nodded. "I'm sure it's not helping her - or your - opinion of us, but we will work this out." He looked at Teal'c for support. "We always do." Teal'c merely returned an impassive gaze. "Right. Let's go find something that will convince them."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Carter!" She stopped in mid-question and turned to her CO. " For cryin' out loud! Give the guy a break. He's been answering your questions for three hours."  
  
Carter hesitated only a moment. "Actually, sir, it's only been an hour and 15 minutes. I only wish I had time to see everything."  
  
"Major Carter," Pilot said, "You are more than welcome to observe Moya's systems."  
  
John translated for her. "Thank you. I'd like that," she replied.  
  
"Before we go snooping around, Carter, let's check in with the kids. I want to see what the word is from the SGC." Carter nodded, and Jack spoke into his radio. "Teal'c, come in." No answer. "Daniel, what's going on down there?"  
  
"Sir, we may be out of range." She looked at John.  
  
"No problem." He spoke to a random point in the air. "Aeryn."  
  
Her voice came back immediately. "Yes, John."  
  
"See? No hands required." John said to the other two.  
  
"I can do that with my cell phone," Jack said. Sam raised an eyebrow at him. "I don't, but I could."  
  
"Anything happening down there, Officer Sun?"  
  
"We're back in the temple. Zhaan and Daniel think they've found something important."  
  
John could hear the hesitancy in her voice. "Aeryn, what is it?"  
  
"Are you almost done showing the others Moya?'  
  
"Pilot and I were about to walk Sam through Moya's innards. We should be back on the surface in another couple of arns."  
  
"Alright. We'll see you."  
  
Zhaan cut in, speaking over Aeryn. "John, I think you might want to come down now."  
  
"What's the problem?" he asked.  
  
Sam dropped off her perch at Pilot's console. O'Neill mouthed "Problem?" to her; she shrugged in return.  
  
"There is some question of whether or not you will be allowed to return home."  
  
"What?!"  
  
"Your friends' leader wishes you to come and speak with him," Zhaan continued.  
  
Sam, by now standing next to John, put a hand on his arm. "What is it?"  
  
John ignored her, except to shake off her hand and step away. Anger boiled up through his next question. "And you didn't tell me this before now because.?"  
  
"The general said he was still working on it. We're not in a hurry, Crichton. We have plenty of time," Aeryn said.  
  
O'Neill, getting a bad feeling about whatever was the subject of conversation, was already on his feet as John yelled, "This is us, Aeryn! We never have enough time; something bad always happens!"  
  
"John Robert Crichton!" Sam's whip-crack voice surprised them all. Sam took two quick steps forward, coming almost nose to nose with John, something O'Neill hardly ever saw her do to anyone.  
  
"Not Air Force, Sam. You can't order me around."  
  
"The hell I can't. Get a grip and tell me what is going on."  
  
Not that she couldn't get up in someone's face, Jack thought, watching her stare down Crichton; she just usually didn't. Of course, that was probably because he always got there first.  
  
Crichton stared right back at her. "Apparently your people don't want me back on Earth."  
  
"That can't be right," Sam's denial was automatic.  
  
"Hammond wants to talk. I'm thinking that means someone isn't sure they want me crashing their party."  
  
"Why? It makes no sense. It has to be about Aeryn."  
  
"Zhaan was pretty clear - she said the problem was with me."  
  
"Look, we'll go back to the surface, talk to the general. There has to be an explanation."  
  
Jack started to wade in, break the tension, but he got the idea that this was an old fight.  
  
"Explanation? Your beloved military is screwing things up yet again, Samantha."  
  
"My military is going to save your ass. Or do you want to stay here?"  
  
"John," Zhaan interrupted, "Daniel thinks we may have found something here in the temple that will help."  
  
"Genuine military intelligence?" he asked sarcastically, eyes locked with Sam's.  
  
"Not my fault." Eyes level, voice quiet.  
  
"Nope." He matched her tone. "It's just the usual regard I've come to expect from the family-friendly US military." He spun sharply, moving toward the door. "Aeryn, Zhaan - be down in a few. Don't go anywhere." He called over his shoulder, "Going down to work this out, Pilot. Keep the engines warm."  
  
"Goodbye, Commander."  
  
A sad note in Pilot's voice stopped John short. "Damn."  
  
Jack got it instantly. "We can come back."  
  
"Given our propensity for last-minute trouble, it might be a better idea for you to take your leave now, Commander. Just in case."  
  
"Pilot's right, John. We'll meet you in the transport bay." D'Argo's voice came through the comm system.  
  
Pilot spoke again. "Take care of yourself, John. Moya and I.will miss you."  
  
John hesitated for a split second before running back to Pilot's perch. Leaping, he slid over enough of the console to throw an arm around Pilot's neck. One long arm patted Crichton awkwardly on the back. He pulled back enough to place both hands on either side of Pilot's face and planted a big Bugs Bunny-style kiss on the surprised alien's nose. He slid back down to the floor and headed for the doorway without a backward glance, fellow Earthlings following, although Pilot heard him call back, "Hey, Pilot! As a going away present, you want me to shoot Rygel?"  
  
"I heard that, Crichton," came the gruff reply from the target in question. "Just for that, I'm not bringing your things from your quarters."  
  
"Keep it, Rygel. Don't need it where I'm going. Assuming, of course, I actually get there."  
  
"I've got your things, John." D'Argo said. John heard an "Ow" in the background and assumed it was Rygel on the short end of the Luxan temper.  
  
At the bay door, Chiana waited. She jumped into his arms, locking her legs around his waist. "You could take me too, you know."  
  
"Not a bright idea, Pip. Earth isn't ready for you just yet. Give it a few years." She hugged him hard and slid to the floor. He kissed the top of her head and said, "Be good."  
  
Chiana flashed that grin and rolled her head to one side. "You know me."  
  
Rygel floated past them, hovering in front of Crichton for a moment. John reached out and tousled the tuft of hair on the Hynerian's head. "See ya round, Ryg."  
  
"If you ever find yourself lost in these parts again, Crichton.go somewhere else."  
  
"Love you, too, Sparky." John took a quick detour to pat the hull of the Farscape I. Looking at D'Argo standing in front of the transport, he said, "Take care of her."  
  
"Like my own," the Luxan agreed.  
  
John held out his hand. "Well, D, it's been real."  
  
"Oh, no." D'Argo shook his head. "I'm going with you. Somebody has to bring Moya's transport pod back."  
  
"Zhaan can fly it."  
  
"And if - when - you get into trouble? Don't argue for once; we're wasting time." He waved at the three of them to climb aboard.  
  
"You're gonna miss my arguing when I'm gone." John muttered, reaching out as Sam walked past to tug on her hand by way of apology. She smiled, acknowledging that his words were meant for both of them, and he tucked her hand under his arm to escort her into the pod.  
  
D'Argo chuckled. "That's what they all say," he replied, following them up the ramp. 


	12. East of the Sun and West of the Moon

Title: Wherever You Go, There You Are  
  
Spoilers: Nothing new.  
  
Rating: Um, PG just to be safe. Minor language.  
  
Disclaimer: Stargate SG1 and Farscape are owned by lovely, wonderful people. I am not among them.  
  
Author's note: Um, sorry? I know it's been ages since I last posted - many thanks to the wonderful folks who stuck with me. I promise the last couple of chapters will follow this one shortly.  
  
Wherever You Go, There You Are: East of the Sun (and West of the Moon)  
"Meanwhile, back at the temple..." Daniel said softly to himself, running his fingers over another line of Ancients' writing. The others would be back soon and he wanted to finish this wall before Jack ordered them all to the 'gate.  
  
Zhaan knelt next to him. "Have you found something else?"  
  
"I'm not sure." Daniel ran a hand over his head. "Teal'c," he called to his friend, "Does this make any sense to you?"  
  
Teal'c joined them and read over the alien text. "It appears to be written in the manner of a Stargate address."  
  
"Yeah. Except I don't recognize these."  
  
"Perhaps this group of Ancients encoded coordinates to hide them from potential enemies."  
  
Daniel nodded. "It would confuse anyone who saw the DHD and tried to match the symbols to the coordinates. We would have to break the code to find out where they went." He rose and paced a few steps, looking at the rest of the markings. "Or - given that we've never seen any other coded Ancients' text..." his voice trailed off.  
  
"Yes, Daniel Jackson?"  
  
Daniel gave him one of his "you're not going to like this, but since you asked I'm going to tell you anyway" looks. "Well, um, it could be the coordinates for another Stargate system."  
  
Teal'c just stared at him.  
  
"I know you're thinking that's impossible," he said, punctuating his words with broad hand gestures reminiscent of his academic days, "but we're talking about the Ancients here. They built one Gate system; why couldn't they build another? It's like building a bypass around a big city - that way you have two routes in case one of them has a traffic jam or accident."  
  
Teal'c raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Okay, so there are protocols built into the current system for those situations." Daniel paced some more, this time wandering randomly, thinking out loud. "Okay. So what about too much traffic? Two ways in and out of heavy traffic areas, where the alpha gate is always active. Or..." he stopped pacing and whirled to face the others, "this system is unique to this group of Ancients."  
  
Zhaan considered the idea. "Renegades?" Seeing Daniel didn't understand the word, she pointed to herself and Aeryn, and after a moment, pointed also at Teal'c.  
  
Teal'c caught her meaning. "Perhaps they were dissidents or refugees, and built the second network to escape from their world."  
  
Daniel nodded. "But how do we know they're the good guys? They could have escaped from jail. They could be government-overthrowing zealots. For all we know, they could be inmates from the Ancients insane asylum." He stopped short at Teal'c's raised eyebrow and held up a hand to acknowledge his...temporary personality adjustment. He really had to learn to ignore that little "Jack" voice in his head. "Of course, it's still possible these Ancients were a scouting party. A new system might have been a dedicated network, used only to check out new planets and move certain groups of explorers."  
  
"Built as they reached each new planet. If that is the case, Daniel Jackson, then how can they have been cut off from their home?"  
  
"This is, um, an excellent question." Daniel walked around to recheck the earlier text. "Okay, try this. They're connected to -639. Which becomes a problem, because they start looping in time. So somebody contacts them from home, fills them in on the situation and they build a second system to get around it."  
  
Teal'c considered this theory. "This planet was not connected to the network Major Carter found during the - looping - incident."  
  
"That we knew of. Or maybe there is a way to control which Stargates are connected. We really need Sam."  
  
"Ask and ye shall receive, Dr. Jackson." Jack's voice came from the temple entrance, followed almost immediately by Jack himself. "Although I resent the implication that Carter is better at answering questions than I am."  
  
Carter headed for Daniel as John joined Aeryn and Zhaan. "What's up, Daniel?"  
  
"You tell me." He waved a hand at the writing in question. "What does this look like?"  
  
Jack, giving Aeryn and Crichton plenty of space to quietly argue, joined the rest of his team at the wall. "Like somebody had too much time on their hands?"  
  
Sam ignored her CO and knelt next to the writing, running a hand over it. She looked up in surprise at Daniel, who said, "Yeah. That's what Teal'c and I thought."  
  
Jack took a closer look. Actually, the writing looked like that of a three-year old, but then the strangest things fascinated the two scientists.  
  
"I suppose they could have substituted other patterns to represent a different part of the galaxy," Sam mulled. "But we've never seen that before."  
  
"So it's not all that likely," Daniel finished her thought.  
  
"It could be in code."  
  
"Someone who just stumbled on the temple wouldn't connect it to the 'gate."  
  
"Or vice versa."  
  
"Which could be why there's so much distance between the 'gate and the temple."  
  
"If they left it behind for the next group to find..."  
  
"And that group lost the key to change the symbols back..."  
  
"It could explain why the first group was cut off from the others."  
  
Jack wandered over to Teal'c and asked, "You keeping up with this?" Teal'c nodded. "Cause I've lost track of who is saying what," Jack continued.  
  
"Well, there is another possibility," Daniel said cautiously. Sam raised her eyebrows in question. "Another network."  
  
Her eyes grew wider as she considered the idea. "If they could build one..."  
  
"Why not another? Exactly."  
  
Now this Jack understood. "Excuse me," he said in a dangerously level tone that caught even the attention of the others across the room. "Are you saying there's another Stargate around here?"  
  
Sam pursed her lips, thinking. "Not necessarily, sir. Given the Ancients' level of technology, they could have built an entire different network using the same Stargate and added a device to switch the DHD between networks."  
  
"Like a train track," Daniel added.  
  
"Exactly."  
  
"Why?" Jack clipped the word sharply.  
  
"That's the big question. It could have been simply to relieve congestion on the main network."  
  
"Or as an extension to the main system, built as they explored."  
  
"Or," Jack drew the word out, "they could have been criminals. Pirates. Outlaws."  
  
Daniel gave Teal'c an 'I told you so' look. "That's possible, but then why did the Ancients on P4X-639 contact them for help?"  
  
"Desperate people do desperate things, Daniel."  
  
"Yes, Jack, but if they were the bad guys, why did they build this?" Daniel waved a hand at the entirety of the temple. "Why leave a record if they were running from something?"  
  
"They weren't the bad guys," John said, walking away from his argument with Aeryn. "The Ancients I met were looking for a place to coexist, not conquer."  
  
"Yeah, we've heard that before," Jack said. "You know, the Goa'uld build temples, too. Big ones."  
  
"All I'm saying is, whatever reason they had for being here was probably a good one. And any other time I'd love to stay and find out what that reason was. However, I have more pressing concerns at the moment," John said, looking back over his shoulder at Aeryn.  
  
Daniel and Jack shared a look, a silent conversation.  
  
"What?" John asked.  
  
Daniel shrugged, "I don't think there's anything else we can do here that will help."  
  
"You haven't finished, have you?" Sam asked.  
  
"Daniel's right," Jack said. "As fascinating as all this is, it doesn't have anything to do with Crichton."  
  
"I still don't understand why we have to convince them. What exactly did General Hammond say?" Sam asked.  
  
"That he needed some assurances from John." Daniel looked at Crichton. "I assume he meant something about not sharing your experience with the general public."  
  
"Well, that should be easy enough. I'm sure nobody's going to have any questions about me disappearing from Earth orbit and reappearing in Colorado."  
  
Sam shook her head. "That still doesn't make sense. We can arrange a cover story that's close enough to the truth."  
  
"And Aeryn?"  
  
"It's nothing we haven't done before." John gave Sam a questioning look, and she shrugged. "Military operations have their advantages. We can arrange a background that won't be questioned."  
  
"Yeah, the thing is," Jack said, "Hammond knows all this. So what's the problem?"  
  
"Only one way to find out," John replied. "Let's go talk to the man."  
  
"Right." Jack waved a hand at the temple entrance. "Just follow the yellow brick road. Or in our case, the track we've worn walking back and forth between here and the 'gate." He followed Crichton, Aeryn, and Zhaan out, Teal'c walking a step behind. O'Neill spoke over his shoulder, "You'd think if they were so advanced, they would've built a faster way to get from here to there. A moving sidewalk, a subway, a transporter - something. "  
  
Teal'c raised an eyebrow.  
  
Daniel waited until they were a few steps ahead, and handed Sam's package to her. She looked at it sadly. Daniel said, "Yeah, I had the same thought."  
  
"There's really nothing here that can help?"  
  
He shook his head. "Aeryn's never seen anything like it, and although John might be able to help us with his information about the Ancients, I don't think it's a strong enough argument."  
  
"We shouldn't need a strong argument."  
  
"We shouldn't need to ask," Daniel said pointedly.  
  
"I'm not leaving him, Daniel. Whatever it takes..."  
  
"Carter! Daniel!" Jack's voice echoed back inside the ruins. "Let's go, kids. It's a long walk."  
  
Daniel shrugged. "We'll figure something out."  
  
Sam nodded, shouldered the pack, and the two exited the temple.  
  
When they caught up with the others, Jack was still ranting about the trip to the Stargate. He turned to his 2IC. "Carter, don't you think it might be useful to have some means of conveyance on little jaunts like this?"  
  
"I suppose so, sir, but everything we have moves slower than walking speed."  
  
"You mean we can put a man on the moon, but we can't build something that covers ground faster than the average person?"  
  
"Well, actually, sir, we haven't been able to put a man on the moon for about 25 years."  
  
"Get out."  
  
"After the Apollo-Soyuz docking and Skylab, we didn't have any reason to keep making the rockets. It would take us several years to even get the production lines running again."  
  
He turned to her, eyes wide in mock amazement. "Makes our little adventures around the galaxy seem all the more strange, doesn't it."  
  
She, just barely, kept from rolling her eyes at her CO. "Yes, sir. If you like, Colonel, I'll bring one of those motorized scooters for you on our next mission."  
  
"Actually, Major, I was thinking of something more along the lines of a jet pack. Why roll when you can fly?"  
  
Daniel, walking in front of his teammates, said to Aeryn and Zhaan, "Don't worry. We're really much, um, smarter, than we seem."  
  
Zhaan nodded kindly, while Aeryn looked askance at John. He said, "Yeah, I know. How did my kind ever get this far?" 


	13. Let's Face the Music and Dance

Title: Wherever You Go, There You Are

Spoilers: Nothing new.

Rating: Um, PG just to be safe. Minor language. 

Disclaimer: Stargate SG1 and Farscape are owned by lovely, wonderful people. I am not among them.

Author's note: Here's some military terms, just in case you're not familiar: OSD - Office of Secretary of Defense; SecDef - Secretary of Defense; SecAF - Secretary of the Air Force; CSAF - Chief of Staff of the Air Force.

Almost done. Really. 

Wherever You Go, There You Are: Let's Face the Music and Dance

The group arrayed itself into small tableaus near the Stargate. Zhaan and Aeryn stood off to one side, out of the range of the MALP's view, Aeryn explaining the 'gate to her crewmate. Teal'c guarded the rear, standing near the DHD, but facing back in the direction of the temple, as Daniel dialed the gate. Jack waited in front of the MALP's camera, John and Sam a few steps behind him. 

As the 'gate opened, Jack keyed his radio. "SGC, this is O'Neill."

"Colonel O'Neill," General Hammond responded, "what's your status?"

"Oh, the usual. Daniel's found an alien text to study, Carter's found a new ship to study, I'm winning friends and influencing people, and Teal'c - well, he's just having a good time."

"And how are your new friends doing, Colonel?"

"They're fine, but I doubt they'll be sending gift baskets to the SGC anytime soon. In fact, sir, I think I can safely say that our galactic reputation is safe."

Carter stepped up to the camera. "Sir, you mentioned something about getting assurances from Commander Crichton. What exactly are you looking for?" she asked.

"To be honest with you, Major, I'm not sure. We've made our recommendation to the Pentagon; I spoke directly with SecAF and he mentioned needing to ensure that Commander Crichton would not compromise national security. OSD is considering it, but they said they would need more time to review the request to bring back Commander Crichton and Officer Sun."

"Why?" Jack asked.

"Major Davis said that SecDef wanted to more fully asses the impact of Commander Crichton's return, specifically the effect it could have on external knowledge of the Stargate program. He characterized it as more risk management than denial."

"Now, why doesn't that make me feel any better?"

"Commander, if you can stay close to the Stargate for a while, we'll bring you home as soon as we can."

"And exactly when will that be?" Jack asked, while John stood silently, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

"Major Davis believed they would have their final decision in about a month. They plan on talking to the other people in the Farscape program. It will take some time to track them all down."

"Yeah, and that won't make anybody suspicious," Daniel said.

Sam, watching John closely, asked, "What restrictions are they going to place on John and Aeryn after they get to Earth?"

"That will be part of the Secretary's final decision. We expect that Commander Crichton and Officer Sun will have to be quarantined on the base for some time."

This was what John had expected. "No contact with the outside world, I presume."

"I'm sorry, Commander. I understand that you want to contact your family and let them know you're safe."

"Well, you know, the thought had crossed my mind."

"General," Carter asked, "Commander Crichton's father has an active security clearance. Would it be possible to let him know, without the details, that John is safe?"

"I wouldn't want to promise anything. We've never dealt with this issue before and the Pentagon is taking every precaution."

"You mean the Pentagon is being paranoid and recalcitrant." O'Neill said.

"Actually, CSAF and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs are on your side, Colonel."

"Okay," O'Neill replied, "so the bureaucrats are being paranoid and recalcitrant. Same difference."

"Major Davis seems to think if we just give it some time..."

"Nice to see my faith in the US military proven once again." John whirled and walked away, barely containing his anger. Aeryn shrugged at Zhaan and followed him.

Jack pointed a threatening finger at the little camera. "Tell Davis when I get back, I'm going to..."

"Major Davis has been doing everything he can to convince the Pentagon that there is no reason not to bring Commander Crichton back now. However, OSD has made their feelings clear on the matter." 

"Who in OSD, sir?" Carter asked.

There was a slight hesitation from the general, and he glanced over his shoulder. "The Secretary is out of the country right now. We're communicating through his...advisors. There's not a whole lot more our people can do."

Carter shared a brief look with her teammates. "NID." 

"That'd be my guess," O'Neill said. 

She turned back to the camera. "And the President?" 

"He is on Air Force One, flying to Reykjavik for the summit."

"What, they don't have phones on Air Force One?" Jack asked.

"I have been expressly forbidden to contact either the President or the Secretary on this issue."

"Issue!" Jack exploded. "This is not an issue, General, this is a person. One of our people, I might add, even if he is IASA. And we do NOT leave our people behind. Not on my watch!"

Hammond sighed. Jack knew that sigh as well as knew the exact words that were about to follow. "I'm sorry, Jack, but it's out of my hands."

"Request permission to stay on -667 until the President returns or Major Davis can get OSD's collective head out of its..."

Daniel jumped in before Jack could finish or Hammond could say no. "Request permission to stay and complete the survey of the temple." 

"Denied. You have another assignment," Hammond said.

"General, I really could use some more time to decipher the last wall."

"You'll have to take pictures, Dr. Jackson, and do the translation back here." Daniel started to protest, but Hammond cut him off. "Washington is not going to change it's mind. You have been ordered to return home." He glanced over his shoulder again. "I expect to see you walk through our gate in the next thirty minutes."

Daniel again started to ask for more time, but Jack interrupted with a "Yes, sir" and a meaningful look at his teammate. Jack continued, "General, we need to go back to the temple, take those pictures and sweep the site. It's not that far away, but it will take 30 minutes just to pack every thing up."

"Very well, Colonel. You have exactly one hour. Hammond out." 

The Stargate disconnected and the four teammates stared at each other for a long moment holding a non-verbal discussion: Sam already thinking, Daniel puzzled at Jack's capitulation then understanding, Teal'c and Jack silent, one waiting for the moment to act, the other waiting for his team to create a solution.

Sam broke the silence with a rapid-fire "Tollana. Nerim would offer them sanctuary. They'd be safe and we'd know their location."

"Yeah, Nerim would do it, but the Council might contact Hammond. Thor? Big, fast ships..."

"And plausible deniability. The Asgard could 'stumble' across them."

"We have to get in touch with them first. We could probably convince Thor not to tell Hammond, but if he's not around... What about Jacob?"

"We could send them to the Tok'ra base. Dad would offer them asylum, keep them there until we could get them to Earth."

"If Jacob's not there when we send them through, they'll contact Hammond to confirm Crichton's identity."

"We have time to go with them."

"Not really. We still have to wrap up the site."

"Besides, I don't trust the Tok'ra not to hold this over our heads later."

"Cimmeria." The other three heads swiveled simultaneously to look at Teal'c, then back at each other. 

"They could contact either Jacob or the Asgard from there."

"It's a protected planet; they'd be safe."

"And the folks there trust us enough not to contact the SGC."

Teal'c nodded. "In addition, it is feasible that the gate address could be found by Commander Crichton in the temple. Knowing how the Stargate works, it would be natural for him to try the address as a way home."

Jack nodded decisively. "Then Cimmeria it is. I'll go find Crichton; fill him in. Carter, help Daniel finish packing. Teal'c, hang here in case Hammond gives us a call back." 

Carter, following him a few steps away from the others, said, "Sir, with all due respect, I think John might take this better from me."

O'Neill turned to look at her. "Yes, Carter, I know." He ran a hand over his head and sighed. "Look, this is not much of a choice we're offering him; I want him to decide based on what he wants, not because..." 

"I pressure him?"

"Not pressure, Carter. Sense of responsibility."

"You think he doesn't want to come home?" The tone of her voice matched her raised eyebrows. 

"It's not about that, Carter. At least here he knows what he's dealing with. We're offering to send him somewhere else, with a promise of maybe getting him home someday. Not a good place to be in."

"And you think he can't make an objective decision if I'm there?"

He shrugged. "Consider it a compliment, Major." He waved in the direction of Daniel. "Besides, you've got the harder job. Make sure he doesn't get lost or kidnapped or something between here and there, hmmm?"

She stared at him for a moment, not quite sure how to respond, finally settling on a quiet, "Yes, sir," and a turn in the direction of the temple. Jack shook his head as she walked off and went to find Crichton. 


	14. The Night We Called It Day

Title: Wherever You Go, There You Are

Spoilers: Nothing new.

Rating: Um, PG just to be safe. Minor language. 

Disclaimer: Stargate SG1 and Farscape are owned by lovely, wonderful people. I am not among them.

Author's note: One more chapter to go! 

Wherever You Go, There You Are: The Night We Called It Day 

Zhaan followed in John's wake, hearing him before she actually saw him. He was throwing rocks against a tree, using them as punctuation for his words, each pitch knocking bits of bark off the tree.

"Damn Air Force." Thud. "Probably had to convene a committee." Thud. "Do a study." Thud. "Analyze the alternatives." Thud. "Staff a package." Thud. "Ask the janitor."

"Feel better?" She asked as she walked between him and the tree just as he was about to throw another rock.

His arm froze in mid-swing. "Not really, no."

"Then it does little good to take your anger out on the tree."

"It's just a tree, Zhaan."

"And what does that make me, John?"

"I don't know, Blue, but I'd suggest you not stand there right now."

Zhaan glanced at Aeryn, perched on a large rock out of John's range. She said, "Don't look at me. I shoot things when I'm mad."

"Give them a chance, John," Zhaan said. "They were given an hour of your time, and I believe they will use that as an opportunity to find a solution."

"Not going well, I take it," D'Argo's voice suddenly spoke in John's ear.

"That would be one way to put it, yeah. Apparently the Air Force isn't having any luck convincing the Pentagon to let me go back."

"And they can stop you?"

"I could work the gate, but I can't get through their end without a recognition code. And even if I did, I would probably be locked up for the rest of my natural life. Somebody in charge has decided I'm a threat."

"So, in other words, they've met you?"

"You know, you could offer some helpful advice here."

"You want advice? Whatever you're going to do, do it fast."

"You're kidding, right?" John asked.

"No. Pilot has picked up a Peacekeeper vessel on Moya's sensors."

"Frell," Aeryn said sharply.

"Scorpius?" John asked.

D'Argo replied, "Pilot says it's another Leviathan."

"Which means it could just be a long-range transport ship."

"Or it could be our favorite Scarren," John threw the last rock hard against the tree.

"Have they seen Moya?" John asked.

"Pilot doesn't think so. Moya is moving to the far side of the planet though, just in case. While they can't see the planet's surface yet, anybody who's going back"

"Needs to get going. Right." 

Aeryn moved to stand next to John. "What do you want to do?"

John held her gaze for a long moment, and then looked away. "There's not much I can do, is there? If it were anything but a Leviathan, we might be able to bluff our way out."

Zhaan said, "Moya could starburst, and you and the others could hide here on the planet."

"And if it's Scorpius?"

"We'll provide enough of a distraction for him to follow," D'Argo said.

"Even if they send a landing party down, chances are they will stay near the town," Zhaan added. "You can leave as soon as the ship is gone."

"And if we can't go to Earth?"

"We will come back for you," D'Argo replied.

"Only one problem with that plan, D. If Sam and the others don't show up back home real soon, their general is going to try and find out why. One way or the other, the gate is gonna get used, and as soon as it opens, Scorpy's going to know we're here."

"What if it's not Scorpius on the Leviathan?" D'Argo asked.

Aeryn grunted a laugh. "With our luck?"

"Right."

Zhaan asked, "What do you want to do, John?"

He shrugged. "I'll think of something."

"Houston, we have a problem," John said as O'Neill walked toward him.

"Ah, but we have a plan."

John laughed sharply. "I don't think your plan covers this." Jack raised his eyebrows in question. "Moya picked up another Leviathan."

"Okay."

"This one isn't friendly."

"Right. Then we should leave." 

"And there's the problem." He paused, and Jack gestured for him to continue. "Look, I'm betting that our number one bad guy has put out an APB on anything wormhole related. Anybody picks up any active wormholes, it's going to get back to Scorpy real fast."

"Right," Jack repeated. "Then we should leave before they come planetside."

John shook his head. "Won't help."

Jack made another impatient gesture, asking why.

"Leviathans can sense wormholes," John replied to the silent question.

"Oh."

"You see my problem."

"Yeah." Jack keyed his radio. "Carter."

"Yes, sir," her voice came back.

"You and Daniel get a move on. I want you back at the gate ASAP. We'll meet you there."

"Define ASAP," Daniel said over his radio.

"Now, Daniel. We've got company."

"Acknowledged, sir. We're on our way."

As he settled his radio, O'Neill asked, "You got a plan?"

"Run like hell?" John replied. "It's always worked before." He shrugged. "We'll provide enough of a distraction, pull them away from the planet and you four can leave."

"We can get you and Aeryn out, too. We've got a safe location while we work on the Pentagon."

John squinted in the sunlight, choosing his next words. "Let me ask you something. Who is really running the show back home?"

"How do you mean?"

"Let's say I brought Rygel or Zhaan back with me. What would your people do?" When Jack didn't answer, John said, "That's what I thought."

"Technically speaking, they're not my people. But you're right. There are those that would use you for their own purpose in the name of national security."

"So, what would you do?" 

Jack studied Crichton as they walked. Instead of answering his question, Jack said, "She's not going to like this, you know."

"To be honest, I'm not too happy with it either."

"You're taking it rather calmly."

"Yeah, but when I get back to Moya, I'm going to break something. Preferably something heavy. That dents a lot. Or shatters. Shattering is good."

"You could do what I do."

"Shoot things?"

"Big explosions always make me feel better."

"You sound like Aeryn."

"See, she'd do just fine on Earth."

"Shooting things?"

"It would give us something to do while you and Carter talked science stuff."

John raised an eyebrow, but let the comment slide. "Shooting things really helps?"

"Oh, yeah."

"I could shoot things."

Jack, John and Aeryn were waiting with Teal'c when Sam and Daniel arrived back at the 'gate carrying the rest of the team's supplies and research. 

"You get everything?" Jack asked.

"Yes, Jack." Daniel did not look happy as Teal'c took one of the bags he was carrying and placed it in the MALP carrier. "Where's Zhaan?" he asked Crichton. "I wanted to ask her a few more things before we left."

"She's back at the transport pod with D'Argo. There's a Peacekeeper Leviathan headed this way. Based on Moya's most recent readings, it looks like it's headed for an orbit around the planet. They wouldn't be headed here unless they intended to put boots on the ground, so I think it's best we vamoose while we can."

"How long do we have?" Sam asked.

"Long enough to get you out of here."

Carter looked at her CO, wondering if he'd had a chance to fill John in on their plan. "You mean for all of us to get out of here."

Crichton ignored her comment. "O'Neill, you bring any C-4 with you?"

"Yeah."

"Blow it up."

Sam whipped her head around to stare at Crichton. "What?!"

"Blow. It. Up." John repeated. "Leviathans can sense wormholes. I don't know exactly who is up there, and I don't think it matters. That ship senses a wormhole on the planet's surface and Peacekeepers will come here."

"Even if they find it, can they figure our what it is and how it works?" Daniel asked.

"You did," John said pointedly.

"I had the basic knowledge – Egyptian language and mythology – to work it out. They don't."

"Do you really want to risk it? I don't know what all they have. I do know if they realize there is access to wormhole technology here, they'll do anything to get it."

"More reason to take you with us," Sam added. 

John shook his head. "We don't have time to argue with the Pentagon."

"Not necessary. We send you to another friendly planet, and then we find a way to bring you home. We've got several options in mind."

"If I go through the gate, Scorpy will try to follow and then he'll know. Doesn't matter if I'm not here; doesn't matter if he can't follow us. He'll know and trust me, that's bad enough." John looked at Aeryn, who nodded, agreeing silently with his strategy. He continued, "We can't leave the Stargate intact. And you have to go through first. Ergo, you call it a day, Sammie, and I blow the thing sky high." He looked to O'Neill for confirmation. 

Jack nodded once and said, "Not exactly what I had in mind for big explosions, but sounds like a plan to me."

Daniel jumped in. "Wait, Jack. We don't have to make two trips through the gate. We can all go to Cimmeria and then dial home from there."

"Moya can blow up the gate," Carter added.

"Moya doesn't have the firepower; it's got to be done from the ground."

"Alright then," Sam said, starting to get mad, "we'll set timers and blow it right before we go through."

"No. Sammie, it's a great plan. It might even work. But I'm not going to cool my heels on some random planet while your people figure out what to do with me. Been there, done that, got the t-shirt."

"What am I supposed to tell your father?"

"You mean, if you get to tell him anything? Tell him I'm fine. I miss him. I will find a way home. Better yet" He turned around, looking for something. Aeryn, a step ahead, held out a small stack of tapes and a tape recorder. John smiled his thanks, and handed the tapes to Sam. Holding up one finger, he pressed the record button on the little machine and spoke into it. "Hey, Dad. I'd hoped to give you this tape myself, but it looks like it's going to be a while before I get home. You won't believe all the stories I have to tell you. " He popped the tape out of the recorder and handed it to Sam. "Give these to him."

"John..." 

"O'Neill, get her out of here. Carry her if you have to."

"We can all make it to the gate," Sam continued to argue.

"Let's go, Carter." She ignored her CO and he raised his voice slightly. "That's an order, Major." She almost knocked him flat with a look. Jack turned back to Crichton. "You need any help with the C-4?"

John shook his head. "We'll set it up as soon as you go through."

"You sure you'll have time to get out?"

"D'Argo's already on his way to get us – we'll have enough time."

"Alright then. Teal'c, let's get the explosives for our friends here. Daniel, dial the gate."

As her teammates moved to carry out O'Neill's orders, Sam picked up a bag from the pile she and Daniel had brought from the temple and held it out to John. "I had Daniel get a few things for you. I thought you could share them with your friends before we took you home."

John cupped her face in one hand. "It's okay, Sammie. It's not your fault."

She shrugged helplessly. "That doesn't make this any easier."

"Hey, I'm not giving up. Just you wait – one day you'll hear a knock on your door, and instead of the pizza guy, it'll be me." She laughed, and he wiped the single tear from her face. Taking the bag from her, he wrapped her in a hug. "Take care of yourself, Sammie."

Behind them, the gate opened. Sam gave John one last fierce squeeze. "Watch your six out here. Don't make me come back and find you." She stepped back and turned to Aeryn. "You're welcome - anytime." A look of understanding passed between the two women and Aeryn nodded. 

Daniel and Teal'c, flanking the MALP, turned at the top of the steps. Daniel waved; Teal'c bowed, then they walked through the event horizon. 

Jack shook Crichton's hand. "We'll leave the light on for you."

"I'll hold you to that," John replied. 

"Alright, Major," O'Neill said to his 2IC, "Let's let these nice people blow this thing and get out of here." He headed up the steps.

Sam nodded, and with one last glance over her shoulder as she walked through the 'gate, saw John toss off a casual salute in her direction. She smiled and went home.


	15. Maybe You'll Be There

Title: Wherever You Go, There You Are

Spoilers: Nothing new.

Rating: Um, PG just to be safe. Minor language. 

Disclaimer: Stargate SG1 and Farscape are owned by lovely, wonderful people. I am not among them.

Author's note: Well, here it is. The end. Thanks to everyone who stuck with me. To those that read and reviewed, your feedback was a great inspiration and much, much appreciated. 

Wherever You Go, There You Are: Maybe You'll Be There

John sat below Pilot, book open in his lap, hands resting on the pages, when Aeryn walked in. She waved a small greeting to Pilot, then sat beside John, leaning over to see what he was reading. Instead of seeing strange words, the pages showed a mountain range covered in early morning mist. Aeryn gently pushed his hand off the page to turn it. The next picture was of a beach, sand dunes covered in wavy grass stretching out the length of the page. Then a cityscape at night, little lights twinkling in the darkness.

"Home?" Aeryn asked.

"One of 'em," John said. "We moved around a lot, until Dad became an astronaut. "This," he turned several pages, "is where I spent most of my summers growing up." The picture was an aerial shot of a small city, bordered by green rolling hills and a winding river. "My grandparents lived here. My grandmother made the best buttermilk biscuits. Every Sunday morning I would eat a whole plate of them with her redeye gravy and then go fishing with my grandpa."

He picked up another book. "And this is where Sam and I went to school." 

Aeryn traced the letters on the cover as she said, "She was not happy that you stayed."

John shook his head. "I wasn't too excited about it either, but it was the right thing to do."

"That's twice you've chosen to stay."

"Twice? Mmm, yeah. But the other time wasn't real."

"Real enough."

"Well, you know what they say. Third time's a charm."

"Really? Here they say if you need a third time, you're frelled anyway." That earned her a glare. "So...next time, you'll choose to go."

"Next time I make my own way. No choice necessary."

"Right."

He studied her for a moment. "You heard Sam. You're always welcome there."

Aeryn met his gaze for a brief moment, then smiled. "Considering how you usually 'make your own way,' I'll have to go along just to get you out of trouble."

"Trouble? I never get into trouble."

"Right. And Rygel is never annoying."

"Hey, I'm just minding my own business out here."

"You're a magnet for trouble." 

John smiled. God, he loved arguing with her. That alone was reason enough to stay.

Jack reached to open the door, but noticed Carter hadn't moved. "Hey." She looked at him, startled. "You okay?"

She nodded. "I'm just not sure I can do this."

He leaned back into the seat. "I know you'd rather have brought John back. But you're bringing the next best thing."

"What's that?" she asked.

"Hope. A way to be involved. It seems like such a little thing, especially since you had the chance to actually bring him back. Look, it's not perfect, but it's better than nothing." He hesitated for a heavy moment, then said, "It's what I'd want in his place."

Sam nodded again. It just didn't seem like much, considering what she might have done. She stepped out of the car, following O'Neill up the steps of the modest brick home. He moved back to allow her to ring the bell.

The door was opened by a man dressed in khakis and a black polo, a NASA meatball logo embroidered on the front of the shirt. O'Neill saw the resemblance right away, not so much in appearance, but in the attitude and bearing. Jack Crichton greeted Sam with just slightly less exuberance than his son had. O'Neill hung back to give them a few moments together, but Sam drew John's father forward to make introductions. 

The two men shook hands and Crichton said, "Pleasure to meet you, Colonel. I've heard good things about you."

"You must be talking to the wrong people then," Jack replied with a smile.

The older man laughed. "Come inside, you two. I just got back from the Cape, so there's not much in the house. However, I think there may be a beer or two in the back of the fridge."

"You were at the Cape?" Sam asked as they walked inside.

"Shuttle launch. The NASA administrator invited me at the last minute to watch and chat about old times."

"Nice," Jack commented.

"Yeah, well, not that I mind any chance to see them light the candle, but I would just as soon not have been there this week." He waved them toward chairs and walked into the kitchen, calling over his shoulder, "Speaking of which, I didn't expect to see you here, Sam."

"I didn't know I was going to be out this way when we talked."

"So, what brings you this way?" He came back into the room carrying three beers and handed one each to Jack and Sam. 

"We came to make you a job offer." 

Crichton laughed. "I'm retired, Colonel."

"Yeah, see, I said the same thing. Twice."

"What job could you possibly want to offer me?"

Sam took a deep breath. "I thought you might like the chance to get back into space."

"Would I. At one time, I would've given anything for just one more trip. Now, well," he trailed off and Sam knew he was thinking of finding John. "Besides, Glenn already cornered the old-guy-in-space market."

"Oh, we were thinking of something a little different than a shuttle ride," O'Neill said.

"You mean the space plane or MOV - whatever the Air Force is calling it this week?"

Sam and Jack exchanged a look. "Think bigger," she said.

"Like mother ship bigger," Jack added.

"Actually, sir, it's nowhere near the size of a mother ship."

"It's a saying, Carter, a point of reference."

Crichton held up one hand. "Stop," he commanded. "Explain."

"Yes, sir," O'Neill said. "But before we can tell you anything, I need you to accept our offer."

"And if I don't?"

"Then as much as I'll hate it, I won't tell you anything."

"Sam?"

She shook her head. "Believe me, we have a good reason for the secrecy. And we have a good reason for making this offer."

Crichton thought for a long moment, studying the two officers. "Very well, Colonel. You have a new... Exactly what is it I will be doing?"

Sam grinned and handed him a binder with a cover that read "General Accounting Office, Report on Department of Interior Acquisition Procedures."

Crichton opened the binder and flipped past the first decoy pages. As he realized what he was looking at, his perusal intensified. Finally he looked up. "How? When?"

Sam gave him an even bigger grin. "It's a long story. First there's something else I need to tell you."

"More important than this?" he lifted the binder.

"Well, actually, in a roundabout way, it will answer some of your questions. And it's why we want you to come work with us." She handed him a small tape player. "I was asked to give this to you."

He pushed play. A quiet whirring emanated from the speaker, followed by a voice. The color drained from Jack Crichton's face a he heard his son's voice for the first time in 2 years. "Hey, Dad. I'd hoped to give you this tape myself, but it looks like it's going to be a while before I get home. You won't believe all the stories I have to tell you."

Crichton pushed the stop button, and in a choked voice asked, "Samantha, where did you get this?"

"From John. About three days ago."

His head shot up, eyes glistening. "Are you telling me..."

"He's alive," she nodded, tearing up a bit herself. "He's safe, for the moment anyway."

"Where?"

Sam took a deep breath. "Another part of the galaxy." She held up a hand, palm out. "Even if I could tell you, you wouldn't be familiar with it. I wasn't, and that's saying something."

Crichton studied her. "Deep Space Radar?"

"Something like that." She gave him a wry smile.

"Then you're not allowed to tell me everything."

O'Neill answered for her. "No, sir. Not right now."

"This ship," Crichton held up the plans, "does it have anything to do with John?"

"Not directly. And I'm not going to tell you that we will use it to find him."

Sam jumped in to forestall his protest. "He's never in the same place very long. Having a ship wouldn't do us much good."

"You saw him. I mean, you were actually in the same room with him." 

"Yes."

"Then why didn't you bring him back with you?"

Jack did the jumping in this time to take the brunt of the angry outburst he knew his next statement would cause. "We were ordered not to."

"WHAT? My son is missing, a great deal of time, money and brainpower was spent on an extensive search and rescue mission and when you find him, you're not allowed to bring him home?" His voice got louder and louder. "Who the hell made that decision?"

"The Pentagon."

"Who? I need to know whose ass I'm going to kick when I get to Washington." He slapped the binder on the coffee table. 

Sam started to speak, but Jack beat her to it. "No, sir. You're not." The look he got made him fairly certain that if he'd been any closer he'd be nursing a broken nose right about now. He pressed on, saying, "It sucks, I know. But it won't do any good. He's not on that particular planet anymore and it wouldn't do him any good to go back there. We're not even going back there again."

"Why the hell not?"

"We can't. The reason why is part of the stuff we can't tell you, so you're just going to have to trust us."

He sighed, at once looking older and like a great burden had been lifted. "Can I at least listen to this a few more times before you leave?"

Sam held up a finger. "Actually," she said as she reached into her bag with her other hand, "You can keep it – along with these." She handed him a stack of tapes.

He stared at them. "The Pentagon?"

"Doesn't know. He wasn't military – in fact, these could be considered IASA property."

"And you're listed as next of kin, so they should go to you anyway."

Crichton took the tapes gingerly, as if expecting them to disappear. Sifting through them gently, he asked, "You've listened to them."

Sam nodded. "John asked me to. Some of them have information that could be useful."

"Will these answer questions you can't?"

"Some of them, but not about what we do or who kept him from returning," Sam said.

"And when will I find out those things?"

O'Neill answered. "As soon as we can tell you without endangering you or the rest of the Farscape team. You have my word on that."

Crichton smiled at them. "Then let's get started."


End file.
